


Push and Pull

by Charliesradiodemon



Category: Hazbin Hotel (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Arranged Marriage, Blood, F/M, Fluff, Tags Subject to Change, and relationships, break ups
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-16
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-02-27 12:29:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 49,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22277143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charliesradiodemon/pseuds/Charliesradiodemon
Summary: It was just business. Or at least, that's what this arrangement was supposed to be.
Relationships: Alastor & Charlie Magne, Alastor/Charlie Magne
Comments: 206
Kudos: 883





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> ARRANGED MARRIAGE AU IS FINALLY ON AO3! I will be editing the existing chapters from Tumblr and bringing them here so hang tight! 
> 
> I wanna thank destructivelyconstructive on Tumblr for helping me come up with the name for this fic!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2/10/2020:
> 
> I did a fairly large amount of edits to this chapter. To be honest it may not be the first time I'll be doing this. 
> 
> I just wanna get it right. ;u;
> 
> Thank you for reading <3

It was an average, quiet morning at the Happy Hotel. The fiery red hue of Hell's skies had just lightened and most of the few denizens of the old hotel were still fast asleep.

However Charlie was already up, eager and ready for the day with a smile. Every morning she had to coordinate and prepare for breakfast. Afterward, she'd set up the various events and activities for the tenants to occupy themselves with. Today there would be a group therapy session after breakfast and some physical activities to let the guests blow off some stream.

It was going to be another nice and quiet day for her. At least it was supposed to be.

She heard the front door of the hotel ring from the kitchen so she put on her happiest face and marched out to greet her next potential guest.

However what met her were two of the most powerful wide-grinning demons in Hell.

“Charlotte, how I missed you!” Lucifer cried out and leaned down to give his only daughter the biggest hug she’d ever received from him. The abruptness of it made her whole body tense.

Charlie tentatively returned the hug “D-dad?” as soon as she spoke, Lucifer pulled away but kept his hand on either of Charlie’s shoulders. “Uh what are you doing with Alastor?” She leaned to look around her father to point at Alastor, who stood close by just observing the interaction with his signature grin splayed over his face.

Alastor made frequent visits to the hotel to check up on it whenever he had nothing else to do. That was fairly often, but recently he'd been away and seemingly busy. This was the first time Charlie's seen him in a little over a week. And he showed up with her father nonetheless. With how busy the King of Hell always was, it made Charlie wonder how a mortal soul like Alastor managed to get him away from his duties. Hell, he never even bothered to come visit his own daughter until today.

Lucifer nearly pushed Charlie away to move back to Alastor’s side. “Dear, you are getting older now and I know you have this dream thing… or whatever, but I think it’s time for you to think of the future!” He gestured his cane toward Alastor, who still stood there, saying nothing. “I know he’s a lot younger than you but what is a few centuries or two?” He leaned on his cane and chuckled.

Charlie had no words and only looked back and forth at the two looming figures as if it was her way of processing. In reality her mind was blank. It was too early for this and suddenly Charlie felt like it was a mistake getting up this morning.

Alastor finally chimed in with his chipper radio-backed voice. “What your father is trying to say is that we should get hitched! Tie the knot! Take the plunge! Conjugate-“

“What?!” Charlie’s exclamation startled Lucifer enough to where he nearly fell off his apple-topped cane. Charlie's heart dropped to her gut. Was this really happening? “D-dad you can’t be serious right?” Charlie’s laughed nervously. When she looked back to her father with a concerned smile, he did not look amused in the slightest. He stared her down with a stern glare that she knew all too well. “This is just a jo-…” she stopped and shut her mouth when the elder demon's frown deepened. She looked away from her father and she felt whatever confidence she had melt away in an instance.

It was really happening. She feared this day would come, but not so soon! Charlie knew that one day her parents could possibly urge her into an emergency marriage at any point in her life. With their warning, they loosely promised her the freedom to live as she wished as long as she would answer to her duty when they needed her to. But this was over a century ago. And as a young, eager and very naive young demoness, Charlie happily accepted. They even gave her time to think it over, but she was young and stupid- something neither Lilith or Lucifer understood. 

Alastor’s laugh track pulled Charlie’s attention back to him. “My dear this is certainly not a joke. I’m afraid I’m deathly serious,” Alastor’s impossibly wide smile widened even further and it sent chills down Charlie’s spine. How could he be so calm and nonchalant about this? He was entering a role far beyond his station as a mortal soul. Alastor was always impulsive and acted on anything he thought could entertain him; he could be making a huge mistake.

“Al, why are you doing this? I know you have no interest in me, you don’t even give a damn about me!” She shot an accusatory finger toward him which, to Charlie’s surprise worked well enough to make him back off with an amused smile. Charlie knew her father would disapprove of this behavior but she didn’t care. But she dared not look at her father. If she even glanced at him, she’d lose this momentum.

Alastor only seemed more intrigued and amused at the situation. They'd known each other for six months and despite his intimidating nature, Charlie warmed up to him fairly quickly. It was always interesting how confident Charlie could be around him when no one else could. If he were honest to himself, Alastor could say that he'd warmed up to the unusually warm demon princess. She was one of the few that he could bear to be around for longer than five minutes despite her raging naivety and cheerful nature. Charlie awoke something unusual within him and he wanted to explore this pleasant feeling he would always have around her even further. It was as if Lucifer answered his prayers when the King of Hell himself showed up to his front door with a proposition. 

“On the contrary dear Charlie, you do catch my interest in a way. I just think this arrangement can better solidify our partnership into something more permanent,” he bent close to whisper in her ear. “Your father proposed this arrangement and I think it’s an excellent idea. I believe the both of us will benefit from this.” He straightened his back and the pair turned their gazes to Lucifer who even seemed to be a tad nervous himself with both eyes on him. 

Charlie sighed. _'This must be important then if dad's this spooked...'_ Her father was _the_ most feared demon in Hell. He'd ruled Hell for over countless millennia and over those millennia he'd come across many bumps in the road. Whatever was happening now, it was important for Charlie to marry Alastor. 

Charlie turned her gaze back to the taller demon and caught his attention again by stretching up closer to his ear. “What are you scheming?” She hissed through her teeth so only Alastor could hear.

The taller demon’s smile didn’t waver. In fact, he chuckled with an accompanying audience laughing with him. He reached down to grasp her hand and held it up between them. This was a secret he couldn't disclose, no matter how much he liked Charlie. He wanted to figure out the secret to his odd notions around her all by himself. “Nothing! Like I said, your father proposed this. My guess is that he wants to prevent me from harming you and your family,” he said nonchalantly. Charlie shivered at the ease of his words. It was as if the man had indeed considered it at one point. “He’s quite the businessman. Offering his daughter in exchange for peace!” he belted a strong chortle “Oh… how wonderful. I couldn’t help but accept. It was certainly a wild turn of events even I couldn’t have anticipated!” His wide smile grew in size and Charlie felt his tight grip tighten. 

He mixed in a bit of truth to his lie. He truly didn't know exactly why Lucifer came to him asking to be his son-in-law nor did he ever foresee this wild turn of events. 

She tugged a couple of times before slipping from his grasp and took a step back. “Right… Al you know this is a big deal right? And I’m not exactly single either you know!” Charlie explained with a strained smile and a nervous chuckle. “Do you really want to marry me because you’re bored?”

“Yes!” He immediately answered. His face lit up like a child in a candy store. “It’s nothing I could have imagined! It’s nothing anyone could have imagined! Who would have ever thought that I would become part of the royal family of Hell! Hahaha! We haven’t even announced the news to the denizens of Hell yet and I’m already simply elated!” He clasped his hands together as the sound of the laugh track came and went once more. He continued on a tangent of something when Charlie began tuning him out.

The young demon heiress leaned over to look at her father’s reaction to all of this. His apparent nervousness seemed to dissipate, but he still held onto the apple atop his cane tightly. He shot her a look of expectancy and nodded his head at her.

_'I know...'_ Charlie internally sighed.

Charlie crossed her arms and sighed warily. It was still early and yet she already felt drained. Too many thoughts spun in her head and she didn’t know how to feel. Devastated? Angry? Sad? All of the above maybe? It didn’t matter. She knew this day was going to come, but she didn't know that it was going to be so soon- or with a mortal soul like Alastor. Though she guessed it could have been worse. She could be engaged to Harold Von Eldritch, her absolutely abhorrent ex-boyfriend in a political marriage.

It was strange how engagement didn't feel so heavy. Charlie almost felt like laughing it off. Maybe it was because of the ridiculousness of the situation? Her father and her business partner walked into her hotel and imposed a marriage on her. That was pretty crazy already. Or maybe it was because she was engaged to one of the most powerful demons in Hell and he was marrying her all because he was bored.


	2. Chapter 2

Alastor was fully aware what marrying the princess of Hell and heir to the throne meant. He and Charlie would be the next rulers of Hell should anything happen to Lucifer and Lilith. Not that that was likely to happen, but it was a formality. It was about safety in ensuring someone with the blood of Lucifer would remain on the throne. Alastor was just there to ensure Charlie makes it to the throne.

In the grand scheme of things ruling Hell didn’t mean much more than a title, seeing how Hell was run on pure chaos and fear. It was strength and influence that made sinners bow. But Lucifer and Lilith happen to be the two most powerful and oldest beings in Hell, making them the optimal rulers of the kingdom of suffering. However Charlie was not so lucky to have the reputation her mother or father had. 

Alastor wasn’t interested in ruling Hell. If he had ultimate ruling over Hell, what else would there be to do? No, what he wanted was the unpredictable events that were bound to happen from then on. The attention, the jealousy and maybe even new challengers. This kind of event wasn’t common. There’s never been a “princess of Hell” before Charlie let alone a marriage between a pure Hell-born demon and a mortal soul. It was going to be a legendary event and Alastor was far too giddy for it all.

That was the future though, for now he sat with his business partner and fiancee as she cried her eyes out.

“-and then I told Vaggie and she just… left. She didn’t even look angry and didn’t say anything when she left and… and I still haven’t seen her…” Alastor sat at a professional distance away from his teary eyed fiancee. He felt a tickle in his chest as he took in the sight of her. It was an irritation that was too deep under the skin to scratch without maiming himself. He didn’t know exactly how to handle the situation. Usually he’d revel in another’s despair, but this was different. 

The usual despair around him meant lesser demons groveling as they begged for mercy in vain. The sweet taste of false hope delighted him all the way up until he turned around and crushed it.

But this would be different. She was his investment and pleasant company. He may even go as far to call the lovely demoness a friend. Before he met her, he planned to soak up all of her naivety until her inevitable delicious demise. But even the thought of that didn’t seem to sit exactly right with him. He had to admit he had a bit of a soft spot for her already. She’s surpassed his expectations without even trying and it was something Alastor couldn't quite understand. She hadn't changed. Charlie Magne was still the naive, witty and selfless princess he'd met half a year ago. So how did she manage to keep hold of his interest and rid him of all malicious intent toward her?

With a small flourish, he materialized a tissue box for her. He held it out to her as she pulled several sheets with a polite gratuitous smile. He let the box sit between them on the couch and let her dry her eyes and clear her sinuses before he spoke. “She will return. I’m not sure when, but she’ll come back to you, that I’m sure of,”

“H-how do you know?” She asked. Suddenly a look of realization hit her teary face. She turned to look up him and paused. “Wait why am I letting you help me? You’re the reason why she left!” Charlie snapped. She stood and stormed in front of Alastor to stare him down. “Get out.” Her abruptly pitched down voice ordered him as she sharply thrusted her finger toward the door. 

‘Ah there she is…’ Her true form peaked out ever so slightly over her tear stained face. The red glow of her eyes were not from their puffiness, nor were the dark markings on her face streaked makeup. Her glorious sharp teeth even made an entrance. ‘She’s quite beautiful in this state’ Alastor thought as his grin widened.

Alastor leaned back into the couch and chuckled. “Did I forbid you from having lovers? No, I don’t think so. You can do what you wish Charlie. This is Hell after all, it’s not like taking a lover or two while married would mean anything here. Most of the members of the royal court partake in adultery,” he stood, forcing her to take a step back, but she did not back down in intensity. “This union is nothing more than a partnership after all! It’s a partnership where all of us will benefit!” He chuckled, threw his arms out to the sides in grand gestures then turned toward the exit. “The announcement is later today Charlie, I hope you don’t forget to dress in your best and smile!” He began his casual stroll out the door until he felt a tug at his tailcoat.

The very sudden snap of his head turning a full 180 startled Charlie, but she did not let go despite the defensive murderous aura he gave off. She’d calmed down and returned to her doll-like appearance. “Tell me what you mean when you said we’d all benefit from this marriage,” she demanded. Her red puffy eyes and pout reminded Alastor of a child who’d just thrown a tantrum. Yet he could still feel and see the determination which he admits that he admired in her. He relaxed from his menacing state for the strangely brave if not foolish little lady in front of him.

He twisted the rest of his body with his head, forcing Charlie to let him go. “You’ll see in due time, trust me,” he answered with a wink.

“Okay but you’re like, the least trustworthy person out there you know that?” She questioned without hesitation.

Alastor heartily guffawed and feigned devastation. The sound effect of a gasp could be heard from him before he spoke. “Oh Charlie you’re too cruel to accuse me of such a thing! Have I ever once broken a promise to you?” He leaned to get in her face and refused to break eye contact until she did.

Charlie crossed her arms and thought about it for a moment. “No… But it has only been a few months, Al.” she pouted. Alastor stood up straight and pat her head gently.

“Regardless! I think it will be a pleasant surprise once you figure it out. Consider what will come as part of my engagement present to you!” He turned once more and left, leaving Charlie to stand there and watch him leave. She was still obviously upset, but somehow she felt a twinge of relief. It was as if one problem was lifted from her shoulders, but the weight of Vaggie still remained. If Alastor was right, she’d have to try to talk to Vaggie and work things out. 

Charlie sat back down on the couch then splayed herself over the couch. It was only for a moment though as she shot up from her prone position. “Wait, part?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was hard to read and rewrite. It's been 3 days of editing and I almost redid this whole part lol rip

Charlie was back in the 666 News studio after six months since her last broadcast appearance and public humiliation. This time however, she was with her father and Alastor. She should feel safe coming back with the two feared demons, but she couldn't hold back the foreboding feeling in her gut or the bad memories. She just wanted to get the announcement over with as soon as possible. 

  
It took months of convincing for Charlie to get a sliver of time on the news show. But it seemed that her father managed to get air time overnight without a hitch. But what was strange about this announcement was the fact they were at 666 News and not at the mansion for a private announcement. Why they were announcing the engagement at this news station, Charlie didn’t know. 

  
Charlie stuck close to the food table all by herself while Alastor and her father spoke to none other than Katie Killjoy herself, who completely ignored Charlie's existence and pulled the pair away from her as soon as they arrived. She watched their exchanges from afar all while noticing how the crew members gave the princess either the stink eye or laughed as they passed her. It was obvious everyone here remembered her stunt half a year ago and it only made Charlie want to shrink. 

  
She wished her mother was here. Charlie even wondered if her mom knew she was engaged. _‘She definitely knows. Right?’_ . Suddenly Charlie’s heart hurt thinking about how her own mother might not even come to the ceremony. She had to. There was no reason to think otherwise, right? With nothing else to turn to, she clutched at the skirts of her dress to try to calm herself. She needed to stop thinking about everything and stay positive. She had to. 

  
Trying to get her mind off her mom and those who sneered at her, Charlie went back to watching the news anchor kiss up to both her father and her fiancee. She even seemed to be throwing herself at Alastor who, Charlie could sense, was not in the mood to indulge the arrogant newscaster. She remembered that Alastor wasn’t interested in lewd relations of any kind and the thought of him denying Katie’s advances nearly made Charlie laugh. The influence she flaunted truly didn’t mean anything to either of them. 

  
Suddenly Charlie caught Alastor glancing back at her and she popped a tentative smile and a wave. He waved back and returned his attention to Lucifer and Katie. This was the third time she caught him staring since arriving.

  
She caught him looking at her several times during the ride to the studio. Whenever their eyes met, she’d always look away as if nothing happened. She kept feeling his piercing gaze on her throughout the afternoon since they gathered for the interview and announcement. She couldn’t understand exactly why he did this, but it almost felt like he was checking in on her, as if he cared in his own strange way. It was an oddly comforting thought, but it was still very strange. 

  
“We’re live in 2 minutes!” Called the producer. Saved by the bell, Alastor and her father excused themselves to return to Charlie, who noticed how everyone around them avoided eye contact with either demon. They even scrambled to get out of their way. It was obviously respect borne of fear, something Charlie lacked with her subjects. She may have been princess of Hell, but that title didn’t mean a single thing to anyone if she didn’t express her power like her father or mother had. She just never wanted that kind of treatment. 

  
Alastor greeted her and offered his arm out for her to loop her own arm around. Audible gasps and whispers could be heard throughout the studio.

  
“I knew someone who got torn to shreds for even accidentally bumping into him!”

  
“He could destroy her for touching him!”

  
“Anyone else would be dead meat for sure.”

  
Suddenly it all hit Charlie. The purpose of this marriage, the perks and what Alastor meant by having this marriage benefit her- it suddenly made sense. This relationship was what she needed to be taken seriously. In the eyes of the public, she’d gained the trust and respect of the infamous Radio Demon and she realized she could use it to her advantage. There was more to this marriage, but she could explore it later. For now, she had a show to put on. Confidently, she looped her arm around his as if she’d done it thousands of times before. 

  
“My, you catch on quickly dear.” Alastor said quietly to her with an amused smile and a quirked eyebrow. She smiled up at him with full confidence and walked over to the news desk, arm-in-arm with one of Hell’s most powerful and feared mortal souls.

  
Once they reached the desk, Katie Killjoy glared Charlie down. Whether it was out of jealousy or the grudge she still probably held, or both, it was obvious that Katie was still not impressed with her. But before Katie could start anything, one or the producers clapped his hands to get the studio's attention. Katie scoffed at the pair and sat down in her usual seat. Lucifer took his seat right next to Katie. Alastor took the next seat and pat the last seat next to him. "I assume you would like to be seated furthest from that wet blanket," he smirked. Charlie gave him an appreciative nod and took her seat. It took her a moment to realize how close their seats were to each other. There was enough space at the desk, why were they shoulder to shoulder with each other? 

  
“Okay we’re live in 3…2…” 

  
“Welcome back! I’m Katie Killjoy!” Katie cheerily said through grit teeth.

  
“And I’m Tom Trench!”

  
“Today we have the honor of hosting some special guests! Today we have the big boss of Hell himself! And accompanying him is the elusive Radio Demon!” She announced as she gestured to the two guests to her right. “Okay! So tell-“

  
“I believe you forgot someone! _How she slipped your mind I could never guess_.” Alastor’s cheery, yet not so subtly threatening interruption forced Katie to halt her reporting and effectively challenging her on live television. She snapped her head to watch as Alastor pointed at Charlie with an arm swung around her shoulders. Lucifer also shot Katie an unamused scowl, signaling her to do her job properly. She couldn't do much else but comply. The crew even looked like they were sweating. After all, pissing off two immensely powerful beings could prove disastrous for everyone in the studio, so the producer shot Katie a panicked yet hard-pressed stare. 

  
Katie leaned over the table to make sure Charlie could see her face. If looks could kill, Katie Killjoy would have erased Charlie from existence already. As she retracted back into her seat she sighed and muttered quickly “And we have Charlotte, princess of Hell,” Charlie smiled awkwardly and waved to the camera that may not have been on her. Relieved sighs could be heard through the studio. 

  
Katie quickly changed tones and continued as if nothing happened. “With that out of the way, we’re here today to listen to an important announcement from Lucifer himself! As the king of Hell, I’m sure it’s going to be a big one! So what news do you have for the people?” She smiled as brightly as she had before to cover her unbridled rage. 

  
Lucifer stood and took a minute to clear his throat. With a wide grin he turned to the camera. “I do have an important announcement to make. We are making changes to our household. Big changes!” Lucifer proudly announced and glanced at the couple. “It is my pleasure to welcome Alastor the Radio Demon into the royal family as fiancee to my daughter-“ he paused for a moment to gesture toward the pair. “-Princess Charlotte Magne!” 

  
The room fell deadly silent and still. Nobody moved a muscle and all Charlie could see were gaped mouths and wide eyes. The intense atmosphere made Charlie tense up, but it didn’t seem to phase either Alastor or her father. She didn't know what to expect from the announcement, though she hadn't really thought about it at all. Satisfied with his announcement and reactions he concluded his statement. “I believe Alastor has some words to say.” And sat back down. 

  
As Lucifer sat, Alastor shot up from his seat like an elated child. He cleared his throat as he took in the atmosphere. The intensity of the room did not waver, but Alastor was definitely enjoying it. “Hello! I trust you all know who I am by now," he paused to chuckle, soaking in the attention and intensity of the situation. He was not a television type of man, but he could definitely get used to this refreshing sensation! He was being seen and heard publicly for the first time, he needed to put on a show! "Yes, I am now engaged to miss Charlie here,” he turned to look down at Charlie and effortlessly pulled her up from her seat to spin then dip her. She was fluid in his arms as if she were unconsciously trusting his movements. He set the discombobulated princess up right and wrapped his arm around her to hold her even closer to him. He turned his head to face her. He was going to get his point across and show her just how serious he was about their partnership. “And I have made a promise to always be by her side and keep her safe. _Forever_.”

The last word hit Charlie like a baseball bat to the face. As she stared up at Alastor with wide eyes, she remembered his exact words to her. 

  
_‘Have I ever broken a promise to you?’_

  
Suddenly Charlie felt as though her heart was going to burst straight out of her chest. 

  
“Oh shit.” Charlie whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: "wet blanket" means "killjoy" huehue


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been just having a blast revisiting this fic to edit it now that I know where I want this fic to go. I hope you enjoy!

Even when Alastor and Charlie sat back down, the studio remained silent. It wasn't until Lucifer cleared his voice did everyone break out of their daze. The show continued on with flustered interview questions and void of any problems. Katie and Tom asked only three questions before their time was up so no juicy details were disclosed. Nothing else stopped the show after the announcement and they even managed to announce the date of the wedding: two weeks from that day. It was going to be a massive spectacle as this sort of thing never occurs in Hell. No one had to guess that every important being in Hell would attend. 

As soon as they exited the studio, they were bombarded with paparazzi, demanding answers to their mundane questions. With Charlie on his arm, Alastor led the way past the rowdy crowd. He felt Charlie’s grip tighten, so he walked quickly to get away from the noise. Alastor amusingly noted how they were smart enough to at least realize that pressing them too hard would be a death wish. The crowd cleared the way, knowing not to cross Lucifer, his daughter or his newly appointed son-in-law. They kept their respectful distance as they yelled their questions at the group. Charlie let out a breath of relief as soon as they reached their getaway vehicle and loosened her grip on Alastor to get into the limousine first. Next was Alastor and lastly Lucifer. 

Despite the large vehicle and plenty of sitting space, Alastor sat himself right next to Charlie while her father sat across from them. Once the limo was in motion, the devil himself smiled wide and let out a hearty laugh. 

For the first time in a long time, Lucifer shot a wide toothy grin toward his daughter. “What a fantastic show! You two really sold the engagement! And that horrid Killjoy oh- the look on her face,” His smile was genuine and Charlie finally felt a little more than a failure for once. It was just too bad that he wasn’t proud of her because of anything she’d accomplished herself. The fact left a painful twinge in her heart.

The whole car ride back to the hotel was full of Lucifer’s compliments and praises toward the pair. He sang his praises for so long, neither Alastor nor Charlie could speak. She wouldn’t know what to say anyway. She just gladly took what approval from her father came her way, but still the praises felt empty. She kept on a polite smile to keep her father happy, but she couldn’t help but stare out the red tinted window of the limousine and blank out for the rest of the ride. 

Alastor and Charlie were dropped off at the hotel, where paparazzi had already formed a mob outside the hotel’s doors. As soon as Alastor helped Charlie out of the limousine, the crowd came closer, but not too close. Alastor thought it was a shame that no one tried anything. He would have enjoyed seeing some unfortunate reporters fly. Instead the group herded themselves to only nearly encapsulate them. With a challenging grin toward the crowd, Alastor grabbed Charlie by the hand to lead her through the flashes of cameras and obnoxiously loud reporters. It was a short distance to the door and those in the way made sure to move as quickly as possible. 

They strolled through without a hitch and only minor blinding from the lights. There were bangs on the door, but they were left ignored. 

Finally, Charlie spoke up. “So that’s what you meant by beneficial,” Charlie huffed an empty chuckle.

Alastor’s hearty chuckle sounded through the hallway. “Yes! My dear you really sold that performance like a professional! Boy your father is quite the schemer, announcing the engagement in front of so many fearful eyes! Hahaha! I bet you’ve already built quite the reputation for yourself! Oh I bet my stars you’re-“

However once he heard the sound of sniffling, he immediately used his shadow to teleport in front of her. He loomed over her as she hid her face in her hands. She was crying again. And the awful tickle crept back into his chest. “I don’t understand, what’s wrong this time?” His brow scrunched in confused curiosity as he attempted to assess the situation. His grin did not falter, but looked out of place with the upper half of his face. 

Charlie sniffled and breathed a chuckle without looking at him. “Sorry this is the second time I’ve cried today it’s just been… a lot. First Vaggie and now my dad was finally proud of me. But… it doesn’t feel right. It’s… complicated.” 

Something in Alastor’s gut hurt at the sight of Charlie looking so hopeless. He wasn’t sure exactly what he should do to help, but he wanted to try. He reached out and placed a gloved hand on top of her head as it proved to somehow calm her down a little. “Please, explain away my dear.” 

So she told him. Everything from her complicated family issues to how she felt about today was out there in the open and Alastor sat with her and listened to her patiently and quietly. It shocked and flattered him that the princess trusted him enough to pour his heart out. Alastor felt as though her words were falling on deaf ears though. 

This type of pain was unfamiliar to him. He knew about physical physical and psychological pain, but emotional was not his forte. Hearing about it from her was interesting, but it also sparked new sensations he didn’t fully recognize. His chest was tight and he felt some other form of agitation within. Rage was familiar to him, but this- it was nothing he was familiar with. Sadness? Whatever empathy is? Alastor couldn’t tell, nor did he know how to act on the feeling. For the first time he felt useless and he didn’t know what to do with that. 

Charlie eventually passed out on the couch they shared. She lasted a lot longer than Alastor expected. She seemed exhausted the moment they walked back into the hotel so it was a surprise that she still had the energy to cry her heart out again. There were too many tears and not enough smiles from his partner. He didn’t like it and the feeling in his chest only seemed to confirm this fact. But again, he felt useless. He didn’t know how to comfort others. The only things he knew were causing anguish and smiling. The only things he ever craved were the despair of others and the entertainment that came with it. 

Alastor leaned over her curled up form and thought about how vulnerable she was. She was completely unaware and a painfully easy target. He could end her here and now without even trying. But no, that thought didn’t sit right with him. It was odd how she didn’t awake his bloodlust and it amazed him how he could show so much restraint toward an oddly meek individual such as herself. 

He stood and gently picked her up, careful not to rouse her. To Alastor’s surprise, she felt light and fragile like a dove in his arms. For as tall as she was, she was much lighter than she looked. 

As she settled in his arms, she snuggled into his chest. This alone sent shivers up Alastor’s spine, but it also left an unfamiliar warmth in his core. The feeling was unpleasant yet… not either. It was a strange feeling, but he couldn’t say that he hated it. A part of him even wanted to somehow hold her closer. He wanted to feel more warmth that erupted whenever she was around. Charlie Magne was a bundle of surprises that never ceased to amaze him even after six months. He would have thought the open and naive princess would have bored him quickly after starting this partnership. Yet here he was, always excited to see what she did next. 

He walked her over to her bed and laid her down gently. When he snapped his fingers her dress changed into a simple nightgown with the other dress neatly settled in his hands. He set it down on the chair next to her bed and turned back to face the sleeping demoness. No, she didn’t look anything like a demon. She looked more akin to an angel than any grotesque demon here in Hell. From her optimistic personality to her long golden hair, she looked and acted as what Alastor would imagine an angel to be like. 

His gaze trailed up to said hair and found it still up in a complex braided hairdo. The demon’s clawed hand hovered over her head for a moment as he pondered on a sudden thought that popped in her head. He quickly drew back as he dismissed the thought. What was he doing? He needed to leave, he’d overstayed his welcome.

But then he looked back down at her. _ ‘Just do it. She’ll be uncomfortable if you don’t.’  _ He reasoned- though it felt more like an excuse. It took him a moment of hesitation but he ultimately decided to reach over and undo her hair to set it free from its braided updo. The softness he felt through his gloves as he ran his fingers through her golden locks gave him a sense of contentedness. It was amazing how her hair ran freely and easily through his fingers. It was easily the softest thing he’d felt since his mortal life. 

When Charlie shifted under his touch, he quickly withdrew his hand and paused. How long had he been at it? When she didn’t stir he gently pulled the covers over her body. He looked back up and found a content expression that graced her puffy yet peaceful face. 

There was a skip in Alastor’s heart, which he clutched at as soon as he felt it. Under his hand, his heartbeat had returned to normal, but the feeling of the skip lingered. This particular sensation triggered by her wasn’t new. He’d felt it on several other occasions over the half year he had known her, but it only ever happened with her around. It was curious, but he’d always ignore it. But now that they were spending _much_ _more_ time together though, it may prove impossible to ignore. Truthfully he was excited to learn what this feeling was. Maybe later on he could ask Charlie about it.

Alastor chuckled quietly and glanced back down at his fiancee’s sleeping face in curiosity. “I don’t know what you’ve done to me dear, but I cannot deny you’ve certainly caught my interest,” He whispered to her. He gazed down at her and watched her breathe for a moment before bending down slightly. “I wonder...” With care, Alastor gently shifted the hair that threatened to obscure Charlie’s sleeping face from view. “What did you do to incite this feeling? What have you awoken?” He paused as if he waited for her to respond. But in reality he just dozed off for a moment, lost in her sleeping face. Without receiving his answer, he straightened his back and took one last look at his fiancee before leaving for the night. 

Alastor began his own trek home and reflected on the day’s events. His grin clearly reflected his eagerness for more, to know more about the things he felt and why they only happened around the strange princess of Hell. He was eager, but he knew he needed to pace himself, to savor this conundrum. But one thing was clear: Charlie Magne was a mystery that he could not wait to fully unravel.

  
  
  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Vaggie and Charlie work things out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I've been busy with school and working on Charlastor Week! ^.^  
> Charlastor Week is coming up March 1st to March 7th. If you would like to participate, please look at: 
> 
> https://charlastor-week.tumblr.com/
> 
> These two songs are important to the chapter. Please choose one to listen to when you get to the point in the fic! I prefer the first one, but the second one contains the complete lyrics. You'll know when to listen to them. I HIGHLY recommend listening and following along with the lyrics as you read!
> 
> 1\. Frank Sinatra (1947) vers.: https://youtu.be/y9sn8CRFVmg?t=5  
> 2\. Al Jolson (1921) vers.: https://youtu.be/mUw5XSrAnO8

Alastor was right. Vaggie did come back to Charlie and while the worried princess was excited to see her, Vaggie hadn’t exactly shown the same sentiment. She looked unsure, nervous and insecure as she stood there at the front door of the hotel, almost as if she felt like she didn’t belong there. She barely even glanced at Charlie when she answered the door. 

It had been three days since the announcement of her engagement to Alastor and eleven days before her wedding day. It had been pure chaos in those three days and Charlie was already getting sick of it all. The reporters, the visits, the questions… it was all too much. On top of that, Vaggie disappeared on the day of the announcement and Charlie had no clue where the one-eyed demoness went. Her guilt and worry ate at her the past few days, but it certainly gave her more time to think and less time to sleep. She was exhausted, but as much as she wanted to rest, Vaggie was much more important to her. 

“Charlie, we need to talk.” Vaggie sighed and wrapped her arms around her own waist. Charlie noticed that Vaggie’s lone eye was puffy, while her lower lid was much darker in hue than usual. It looked like she hadn’t been sleeping much either, and Charlie feared that she was a mirror image of her suffering.

_‘Oh Vaggie, where did you go?’_ Charlie thought, unable to say it out loud. Part of her didn’t want to know. The sting of guilt already hurt, there was no need to build on top of it. But at the same time, how could she be thinking such selfish thoughts right in front of the one who was probably hurting the most? 

And as much as Charlie wanted to jump at the one eyed demon and pull her into a relieved hug, she restrained herself. It broke her heart to see Vaggie in such a state. _‘She doesn’t deserve this…’_ She did this to Vaggie. She made her miserable. The guilt made her heart beat painfully in her chest and all she wanted to do was break down and cry. _‘She deserves better…’_

She needed to stay strong. “Vaggie you know saying that never means anything good.” she strained a nervous chuckle with her tasteless joke. She didn’t mean for it to come out the way it did, but the demoness’ head was too cluttered and noisy. It was a miracle that she formed a coherent thought as she was already struggling to keep it together in front of her assumed ex girlfriend.

Unfortunately the one eyed demoness did not humor her and instead motioned toward the inside of the hotel without a word. She was obviously still avoiding eye contact with Charlie and kept her closed posture, possibly to keep herself from breaking down. They already knew this was going to be a difficult conversation, but it had to be done. For Vaggie’s sake, Charlie wanted to give her closure. _‘She deserves better…’_ She reminded herself. She deserved someone without the baggage of a royal duty. 

This was her duty. She was the Princess of Hell. She was heir to the throne and needed to secure her family’s place in the hierarchy. Should anything happen to her parents in the future, Vaggie would most definitely get hurt… or worse. Although Charlie knew she could handle herself, Vaggie didn’t have the power or ability to take down overlords or a prince. Charlie couldn’t bear putting Vaggie in danger because of her. She had to admit that with Alastor she wouldn’t have to worry about others questioning her authority or usurping her throne. With Alastor, she could make it easier to redeem sinners and complete the goal she held onto for centuries. Charlie felt like a scumbag, but it was going to be for the greater good. It would all be for her people and for Vaggie especially. ‘ _She deserves better…’_ The reminder echoed.

Charlie stepped aside to let Vaggie in, shaking the urge to hold her and apologize for everything. Without a word, they made it up to Charlie’s room on the top floor for privacy. Every step was tense and the environment in the elevator was even worse. Neither could even look at the other or even speak. 

With a nauseous feeling in her gut, Charlie tried to think of what she wanted to say to Vaggie. She had the past three days to think it over, and she had, but suddenly everything she knew she wanted to say was gone. All that remained was the unforgiving anxiety and guilt that ate at her. 

It felt like an eternity, but they finally made it to Charlie’s room. They settled to sit at a small dining table that sat at one end of her room. It could seat three, as Charlie was waiting for the day she’d have her parents over to visit. Vaggie knew of this, but wasn’t hopeful that the day would ever come. She wouldn’t dare tell Charlie that though.

The silence was deafening until they both tried to speak up.

“Charlie-“

“Vaggie-“

They both stopped but Charlie immediately reassured her. “No, you go ahead first.”

They talked for the better part of the day. There was no yelling or any semblance of aggression between them. They just talked like they normally would, but with more tears. It took longer for Vaggie to crack and cry than Charlie did, but when she did, it was like a dam breaking. All it took was Charlie apologising relentlessly to Vaggie and through her protests, tears pricked at her eyes before spilling down her face. All of their pent up feelings over the past three days were finally out in the open. It hurt, but they made it out with a new understanding. After such an emotionally draining conversation they finally settled and talked through the glaring issue. 

“So we’re good right?” Charlie asked tentatively. They stood at the door leading out of Charlie’s room and faced each other.

Vaggie placed a gentle hand on Charlie’s shoulder with a reassuring yet saddened smile. “Yeah, we’re good. I’ll always be here for you Charlie, you know that. I… just need some time.”

Charlie pulled Vaggie into a tight hug, relief and grief filling her heart. The throbbing of her heart was painful but it didn’t matter. She didn’t lose Vaggie and now she won’t have to worry about putting her loved ones in danger. “Thanks Vaggie. I’m always here for you too. You’re one of the most important people in my life you know?” It wasn’t the best outcome, but it wasn’t the worst case either. After all they were friends first and they’d decided it was the best for the both of them. And even with Alastor’s permission to take lovers, both of them felt it wasn’t right to keep Vaggie as some sort of ‘mistress’. It just wasn’t fair to her. 

Vaggie left and a new feeling of relief and hope filled Charlie’s heart. Sure it still stung, but knowing that Vaggie would still be in her life was good enough for her. She loved Vaggie and the thought of her being with her as her best friend was reassuring. As long as Vaggie was safe, Charlie was content enough. She had to be.

She closed her door, finally feeling a slight semblance of peace even with her pained heart. It was quiet and her head was finally clear in the four days this debacle occurred. It had been four whole days since her father and Alastor broke the news to her. It still didn’t feel real. 

She began the trek to her bed to turn in for the night. Just because she was hurting didn’t mean that she didn’t have to get up early for work. 

But not even five seconds later did Angel Dust burst through the door full of energy that Charlie wasn’t ready to handle at the moment. “Holy shit toots! I saw the news!” He let himself in and approached Charlie. She didn’t face him, as she desperately tried to regain her composure as best as she could. Not only was she still in pain, she knew that she looked like a mess without even looking. Her tears from earlier left visible tracks on her face and her tired expression was a true representation of how she was feeling. She didn’t want Angel to see her like this. 

“Good job reeling in Smiles, babe. Seriously,” he ran a hand through his hair and cackled hysterically. “I didn’t think it was possible!” 

She sighed and answered as calmly as she could. “That was three days ago Angel.” The reminder only made her heart beat painfully.

Angel scoffed. “Yeah I know. I’ve just been a lil’ busy,” He brushed off her comment and began snooping around her room. He’d never been in her room before and he was a very nosey individual. “Anyway, so you’re getting married huh? Never pegged the big boy for a “settling down” type. Fulla surprises, that one.” his nasally cackle sounded the room as he reached into a cabinet. Charlie wasn’t sure what he was looking for, but she didn’t have the mind to question him or his snooping. 

Charlie continued to stand where she was with her arms crossed. Her eyes were still burning and all she wanted to do was go to bed. “Can we not talk about it Angel?” Her voice didn’t crack, but the obviously off tone caught Angel’s attention.

The spider stopped and turned his head to his friend and noticed everything. He only a sliver of her tear-stained face, but he knew exactly what this was about. He passed by Vaggie in the hallway and she brushed him off when he tried to greet her. He stood and walked toward her but then he paused for a moment before deciding to lounge on her couch that was past her instead. “Are you and Vaggie…?” He gave several nonsensical gestures to skirt the word, but Charlie knew what he meant.

She sighed and nodded. “Yep. We’re over. But we’re still friends. It just… hurts you know…”

Angel took a moment to watch his mouth. Well, as best as he could. He wasn’t as good at comforting others as he was pleasuring them. “Well a couple a years don’t mean a thing to ya right? Aren’t you like ancient or something?” Angel blurted. He nearly immediately regretted what he said.

Charlie groaned. “Yeah but it doesn’t make it hurt any less Angel.”

“Sorry babe, just trying to help. I’m not exactly a therapist.” he noticeably drooped a bit dejectedly and Charlie turned toward him waved her hands in front of her frantically.

“No no no! I get that. I appreciate your concern… a lot and I know you’re doing your best.” She shot a genuine smile at the pink and white spider. Angel looked up from his splayed position on the couch and smiled back in appreciation. Charlie knew that he truly was trying and appreciated the effort. He just needed to work on his empathy skills a little more. 

He slowly rose and stretched as he stood. “Yeah, well. I got… stuff to do. Hope you feel better Charlie,” He walked toward the door and patted her on the shoulder as he walked past. Before he shut the door, Angel looked back and added, “Oh! And make sure I’m invited to the wedding!” Sure the request was a bit tasteless, but Charlie knew that he didn’t put any malicious intent to hurt her behind it.

Charlie huffed an empty laugh and turned to flop face-first into the sheets on her bed. She didn’t even bother unbuttoning her shirt or strip her pants or socks off. She was just flat tired and that was all there was to it. It was a long and painful day and she welcomed the comforts of her bed.

“Is this a bad time?”

The familiar radio-backed voice made Charlie shriek and jump straight up. She plopped face first into the mattress before shooting her head up to glare at the intruder. 

Of course it was Alastor who stood beside her prone form. He loomed over her with his wide grin and his hands behind his back. He was as imposing as ever and as _rude_ as ever. 

Once Charlie’s heart began beating again, she took a few deep breaths and glared at the pinstriped demon. “Jesus Al! You can’t do that!”

He chuckled but tilted his head in confusion. “Do what?”

Charlie gestured to him. “That! The whole popping into my room… thing without me knowing!” She sat up and criss-crossed her legs.

“Why not?” He asked bluntly, seeming to be genuinely confused. 

“Because privacy still exists even in Hell, Al,” Charlie huffed and crossed her arms in front of her. She scooted a bit away from Alastor and offered him a seat, which he took her up on. “So what’s up?” She sighed and slouched toward her companion. 

“I couldn’t help but notice that Miss Vaggie came back to you,” his chipper tone was a stark contrast to Charlie’s somber tone. Charlie couldn’t even start to think about what was running through his head. It seemed as though he was completely oblivious to her feelings and Charlie wondered just exactly how dense he could be. 

“Yeah… you were right. And we talked everything out.” she explained wearily. All the energy she had left was gone in an instant at the reminder. She was sick of thinking about the events that transpired and honestly she just wanted to go to bed early. 

He drew his legs in to mimic Charlie’s crossed legs and rested his chin on his propped hand. He leaned closer toward Charlie and asked, “So you’ve taken her as a lover then?” His tone was expectant and smug even. It was as if he expected everything to go the way he said it would. As if he assumed Vaggie would just stay with her despite the situation they were in. 

Charlie felt a twinge of pain in the pit of her gut. “No. We’re just going to be friends. Luckily there’s no hard feelings.” She knew this was the right decision, it had to be. What was she going to do otherwise? Beg Vaggie to stay in a relationship as dangerous as this one? 

“Ah. Unfortunate I suppose.” Alastor said bluntly once more. It clearly wasn’t out of disinterest but a lack of knowledge for the situation. He probably didn’t understand why they would break up when she and Alastor were not engaged in an intimate relationship. 

Charlie hummed in response and let her head hang in attempt to hide her miserable face from Alastor. They sat in silence for a few moments, neither knew how to speak to the other in the current situation. They were very different people after all.

It wasn’t until a noticeable shift of the mattress alerted Charlie to look up. Alastor stood in front of her with a hand offered out to her. “Maybe a dance will make you feel better?” His smile was closed-mouthed and his eyes were narrowed into a soft gaze.

At first, Charlie’s shock took over her expression. It was then Alastor noticed exactly how red and puffy her eyes were from her tears. He also knew the signs of insomnia too well to recognize on her face. She must have been miserable the past few days and he was none the wiser. Alastor suddenly felt an odd painful skip in his heart seeing how miserable his fiancee looked. He felt like he should have been here sooner. 

Charlie couldn’t help but softly smile back in appreciation. She knew Alastor probably lacked the empathy to understand how she was feeling, but the fact that he was even trying to cheer her up warmed her heart a little. She gladly took the hand and was swiftly hauled to her feet.

He guided her to the open floor in the middle of her room and cleared his throat as he adjusted his monocle. With a sizzle of radio static, the shadows on the walls bled to the floor and from the globs of darkness, shapes of shadowy creatures with various musical instruments emerged.

Alastor lifted a hand and slowly lowered it. As he did this, the lights slowly faded to black and almost as soon as the light disappeared, a spotlight shone on the lone pair. The music started with the strings of an invisible orchestra. 

Alastor’s eyes were closed, yet he confidently led to a song Charlie didn’t recognize. Though he was still smiling, it was much more mellow than his usual grin. It was so odd to see that even Charlie couldn’t help but stare at his relaxed expression. She listened to him hum along to the melody. He seemed like a completely different person to her, but she smiled and allowed herself to relax into their slow sway. 

But then he took a breath and began singing. When Charlie shot up at the sound of his voice, she caught his gaze. She was unable to look away this time as he sung so sweetly to her. 

_“Life is not a highway strewn with flowers_

_Still it holds a goodly share of bliss_

_When the sun gives way to April showers_

_Here is the point you should never miss_

_Though April showers may come your way_

_They bring the flowers that bloom in May_

_So if it's raining have no regrets_

_Because it isn't raining rain you know, it's raining violets_

_And where you see clouds upon the hills_

_You soon will see crowds of daffodils_

_So keep on looking for a blue bird_

_And listen for his song_

_Whenever April showers come along,”_

Alastor’s heart raced at the dazzling look Charlie gave him. She looked up at him like no one had done before- with genuine awe. The amount of attention she gave him was almost too much for him to bear. And yet, he wanted her to keep looking at him with that soft gaze of her’s. 

_“And where you see clouds upon the hills_

_You soon will see crowds of daffodils_

_So keep on looking for a blue bird_

_And listen for his song_

_Whenever April showers come along”_

Once the music concluded, Alastor gently spun Charlie and dipped her. 

The lights suddenly came back on and the shadows around them had dissipated. Yet they remained in this position. When Charlie looked up at Alastor, she stared wide-eyed at him. She couldn’t utter a word at the sight of him and the indescribable look he stunned her with. Absentmindedly, she reached a hand up to his face, but was caught suddenly by Alastor, who didn’t even flinch as he grasped her hand. As if awoken from his motionless state, he brought Charlie back up as he stood straight.

He cleared his voice and took a step back from Charlie to bow and kiss the knuckles on her hand. He was back to his usual smile and domineering demeanor as if he slipped the mask back on. “Thank you for the dance my dear! Now, I think it’s time you got some rest! I’ll be out of your hair and-“

“Wait! Al- Alastor,” she stuttered and immediately hesitated as Alastor looked down at her with an inquisitive yet tense smile. Charlie trembled and looked up at Alastor with pleading eyes. “Uh, can you stay? At least until I fall asleep? I… don’t want to be alone right now.” She tightly gripped Alastor’s hand and it was obvious that she didn’t want to let go.

The immediate pang in Alastor’s heart hit him hard. It wasn’t just once this time though. It was several times. In fact it felt like Alastor’s heart was thumping like a drum against his chest. It hurt yet… he found it pleasant. It was new and it made Alastor feel alive again. This wasn’t just an unexpected skip of the heart. Oh no, it was as if she set fire to his very core. What she could do to him with just a look was nearly terrifying.

He sighed and relaxed into a small smile. “Of course dear.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just like Charlie, I think Al is better at expressing himself through song haha


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for the wait, it's been wild few weeks. Charlastor week and then the Coronavirus got me fairly busy. I also took the time to relax to help my burnout! So I'm doing much better right now and I'm back in action- at home!

Charlie woke feeling incredibly well rested. It may have been due to her emotionally taxing day yesterday, but she somehow slept through the whole night without issue. A part of her felt guilty for how well she slept, but it also made her feel silly for thinking so.

With a sigh, she turned onto her side as she recounted her day yesterday. Through her painful day, Alastor of all people was there to comfort her in his own strange way.

He even promised to stay until she fell asleep, just as she had asked. Charlie half expected him to brush her off, especially after his odd reaction to her near-touch. But surprisingly enough he agreed. And as a man of his word, he indeed stayed until she drifted off to sleep. Her face warmed as she also remembered how she’d held onto his hand as he sat beside her.

It was Saturday, a free day at the hotel, and one of Charlie’s only days off. Saturday was a day for the sinners of the hotel to do as they wished- preferably inside the hotel’s walls. It was a day of self reflection to allow the sinners to pick up their own hobbies and put in their own effort toward redemption. Being in hotel at all times kept them out of trouble and focused on rehabilitation, but they were also allowed to leave and do as they please.

As for Charlie, she’d use the day to talk to whoever stuck around the hotel and plan the coming week’s activities. At the end of the day she’d normally watch a movie or binge a series with Vaggie, but it might not be the best idea considering the recent events around them. Besides her assumed broken tradition with Vaggie, today should be no different. She’d been living with this schedule for half a year now and she planned to stick to it.

With a determined huff and and smile, Charlie sat up in bed. But as she did so, she noticed a familiar red figure at the other end of the room and froze. It was Alastor.

“He stayed the night.” Charlie whispered to herself. She scooted off the bed and fixed her nightgown before quietly walking up to the motionless form on her couch.

Sure enough it was Alastor, sitting upright, legs and arms crossed, a small close-lipped smile and his eyes closed. Had she not seen how slowly he breathed, Charlie would have assumed he was awake and waiting. Charlie leaned over and got close. ‘I guess even Alastor needs to sleep.’ She mused in her head. She’d never seen him sleep before and she’d never seen him so still and peaceful either. He was usually bouncing with energy and enthusiasm whenever he was around her.

“Can I help you Charlie?” Alastor asked suddenly. Alastor’s bright red eyes shot open and stared straight back at the demoness.

“HOLY-“ Charlie jumped back immediately and nearly tripped on the rug, sending her limbs flailing about as she caught herself from tumbling.

Alastor chuckled and rested his elbow on the armrest. He plopped his head on his open palm and watched Charlie try to calm herself. “Sorry if I startled you sweetheart, but watching people sleep is quite rude you know!” He grinned widely and continued to chuckle.

After collecting herself, Charlie took a few deep breaths to calm herself. “No, I’m sorry. I woke you up and I was… being kinda weird…” she looked away and fiddled with her unkempt hair. The pout on her face made Alastor’s flutter and he nearly forgot where he was for a moment.

That was, until he took a good look at her hair. “No worries dear. I had a good laugh out of it,” he mused. He then pointed at her hair and raised an eyebrow. “By the way that is a fine nest you have!” Charlie shot him a confused look to be met with a smug grin.

When she turned and walked to her vanity she yelped, “What? How’d it get this bad?” She sat herself down and began running her fingers through her hair to get the tangled mess under control. With her frantic tugging, she kept getting her fingers snagged on the knots. She let out an exasperated sigh, signaling her quick defeat. “I mean it’s never perfect in the morning, but it’s never been this bad before! I need to get Razzle and Dazzle!” She shot up from her stool.

But before she could head for the door, two claw-like hands rested on her shoulders. Looking up in her vanity mirror, she saw Alastor holding her in place. “No need! I can take care of it if you’d like.” he materialized a brush from nowhere and gently pushed her down to sit. Saying nothing, Charlie sat back down and continued to watch him through the mirror.

He went straight to work once she settled. Instead of going head first with the brush, Alastor set it aside and instead used his fingers to untangle any nasty snags that could get caught in the brush. It was so strange how thoughtful and careful he was as his pointed claws occasionally brushed over her scalp. Charlie even closed her eyes as he worked, clearly enjoying the sensation.

Once Alastor deemed it satisfactory, he took the brush he’d summoned and gently brushed through her golden locks all while humming.

Charlie’s butlers Razzle and Dazzle would normally brush Charlie’s long and voluptuous hair, but never had it felt this good. From the soft brushes of her scalp to the gliding of a brush through her hair, Charlie didn’t notice the content smile that graced her face.

Alastor, however had. He watched the princess’ expression soften through the mirror with amusement. Was she truly this naive? Despite being at the mercy of the Radio Demon, one of the most feared overlords in Hell, she’d put her full trust in him and relaxed into his touch, even. The moment reminded him how just last night she asked him to stay until she fell asleep. It still racked his brain how she could be so at ease with him in the room. But most of all he wondered why exactly he decided to stay by her side the whole night. Or why he volunteered to brush her hair so carefully.

“You have quite a lot of hair you know,” Alastor joked in an attempt to get his mind off of his confusing thoughts. He’d ponder on it more later, now was just not the time.

Charlie’s eyes shot open, and Alastor could have sworn his heart skipped a beat at the sight. Even when he attempted to get his mind off of what she did to him, she still somehow managed to get his heart off-beat. So much so Alastor was beginning to think that he was merely experiencing heart palpitations. “You must get it from your mother.” he finished, trying to keep himself calm and collected. Charlie smiled soberly and nodded.

“Yeah, I get that a lot. It’s why I don’t ever wanna cut it, because it reminds me of my mom.” she chuckled and brought her gaze down to the floor, deep in thought.

What was her mother dong? She still hadn’t called, nor had she picked up any of Charlie’s calls in the past few days. She must have been busy with wedding preparations, but couldn’t she just spare a couple of minutes for her daughter? She’d just gotten engaged!

With his eyes still fixed on Charlie’s face, Alastor hadn’t realized that he’d thoroughly brushed though the demoness’ hair a while ago. He was so engrossed in the softness of her locks and his heart palpitations, he’d completely lost focus. He stopped brushing, but part of him didn’t want to stop just yet. So instead he started to do something else to Charlie’s hair, which promptly caught her attention. The gentle tugging told Charlie he was probably braiding her hair. “I bet you must be excited to see your mother today.” he commented.

“Yeah- wait,” she slammed her palms on the table, stood and whipped her head around to face Alastor. The braid that he’d started came undone in the action, but Alastor didn’t care. Not when his fiancee’s beautiful demonic form began to peek out. Alastor’s grin widened in anticipation and his fluttering heart began racing.

“WHAT?” She shrieked, yet Alastor didn’t flinch. Charlie began pacing away from the vanity, muttering wildly with a hand over her mouth. Her wide eyed gaze was fixed on the ground. Alastor couldn’t understand what she was saying but he did notice that her horns were present and her nails seemed longer than usual. He took Charlie’s seat at the vanity and sighed contentedly at the sight of her. He had to admit that she certainly was a belle, but this side of her was a unique sort of beauty that he could appreciate.

She looked to him pleadingly. “What should I do?” she cried before returning to her frantic pacing.

With a confused yet amused expression, Alastor asked, “Are you not excited to see her?” The demoness snapped her head to look at him once more with her ruby-red eyes.

However the visible part of her true form retracted as quickly as it appeared with just a blink. Charlie stopped her pacing and sighed. “It’s not that. I just haven’t seen her in a long time and she hasn’t returned any of my calls,” she ran a hand through her hair and shook her head with a groan. “I-I just don’t know what to say to her Al.”

“Why not just start with a simple ‘hello’?”

Charlie groaned in frustration again. “Come on, be serious!” She turned back around to pace with her hands tangled in her hair.

“Oh I am though,” he stood to full height and walked up to her to grab her by the scruff of her nightgown and effectively stopping her from pacing endlessly again. Once she stilled in his grasp, he released her before continuing, “The reaction to a simple smile and a ‘hello’ tells you everything you need to know about a person! See where you go with it sweetheart. Not to mention your mother would be pleased to see your gorgeous smile.”

Charlie turned and shot him an unsure look. When he didn’t falter from his confidently wide grin, she shrugged. “I guess it’s better than nothing. Thanks for the advice, Al.” she crossed her arms and turned away. The unsure tone of her voice did not comfort Alastor’s inner concern one bit.

 _‘Concern? For her?’_ He thought. When was the last time he’d felt concerned for anyone? And when was the last time he’d felt the need to truly comfort someone?

Alastor took each of her shoulders in his hands, causing her to look up at him. “Chin up my dear, everything should be going uphill from here on, trust me.” his calm, nearly radio-less voice and his closed lipped smile somehow eased Charlie and she relaxed under his touch.

A soft, appreciative smile melted onto her face, sending his heart into a beating frenzy.

He quickly let her go, letting his searing touch linger on her shoulders. “Now, after your little hotel duties, we have to go meet your mother to finish the details!” Alastor said quickly before briskly exiting the room and gently shut the door.

Charlie brought her hand to her shoulder where his hand had lain and felt her heart skip a beat.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Alastor meet Lilith to discuss wedding plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait! I've been in a bit of a writing slump and everything I've been hating everything I've been writing ^.^'

Finding that the meeting was held at her favorite restaurant was a pleasant surprise to Charlie. Pulling up to the entrance of the establishment, she began reminiscing the days when she’d come here with her parents when she was younger. She had nothing but fond memories with her parents here and she felt a bit relieved to see that her mother remembered how special this place was. 

It was an exclusive restaurant that catered to the rich and powerful denizens of Hell and this fact gave Charlie hope that another incident with the paparazzi would not occur. Since the announcement, journalists would incessantly knock on the hotel’s doors looking for an interview with her specifically. She knew that the press didn’t want to mess with Alastor out of fear, so they bothered her instead. 

Though it had only been a couple of days, Charlie was already fed up with it. Wherever she went, paparazzi would somehow show up and it was already getting exhausting.

Needless to say she was relieved that she’d get some privacy for a short while. She just wouldn’t be able to deal with that kind of stress on top of seeing her mother again after so long. Just that morning her mind was muddled with so many distracting thoughts that Vaggie had to snap her out of it several times.

As soon as she got out of the limousine, Charlie spotted Lilith and froze. She was standing out front talking with the greeter at the door and her back to her daughter. Charlie could feel her blood rush from her face. Her smile fell as did her heart and gut. She didn’t even realize that her hands were already shaking. 

Her trembles alerted Alastor of his fiancee’s nervousness immediately. Alastor’s arm had wrapped itself around Charlie’s shoulder once he got out of the limousine himself.

He squeezed her shoulder gently to get her attention. She snapped her gaze up to him and found Alastor’s usual smile plastered on his face. It wasn’t special in any way. It wasn’t a comforting smile nor a warm one. 

But somehow Charlie felt warmth in her cheeks nonetheless. In a near instant, she had forgotten her worries and remembered his simple advice. 

Alastor’s comforting squeeze and neutral look reminded Charlie that she wasn’t alone. He was there with her and she didn’t have to do this alone. 

_‘Just say Hi.’_ Alastor’s words echoed in her head. 

  
Charlie broke out of her tense gaze and stuttered “H-Hi mom.” she waved with a nervous smile.

Lilith perked at the sound of her daughter's voice and turned to face Charlie. She had an elegantly ecstatic smile spread across on her face as she strode over to her daughter. “Charlie my dearest!” She scooped Charlie up into a bone-crushing hug. The towering queen put Charlie down and held her daughter’s hands in her’s as Alastor stood and watched silently. It seemed as though Charlie was about to cry but she managed to hold it behind her relieved smile.

He felt a sense of pride for her for overcoming her insecurities. All she needed was a slight push in the right direction and reassurance. 

Suddenly Charlie turned to grasp his hand with a bright smile. The look nearly made Alastor’s heart beat out his chest, but he was careful to not let it show. However he couldn’t help the surge of electricity up his spine nor the warmth in his chest. 

It wasn’t until Lilith also turned her head and shot Alastor a dirty look where the pounding of his heart stopped. Instead he stared back at Lilith with his usual grin, making an effort to not ruin the moment for his fiancee. As much as he wanted to challenge Lilith to a battle of wills for daring to look at him that way, he couldn’t find the motivation to do so. Not when Charlie was beaming up at him like the sun. Alastor did not grant mercy often, but he decided that the little ray of sunshine deserved the moment. 

Shortly after the greeting, Charlie tugged on both her mother and fiance to be seated. Almost immediately the trio had ordered and begun discussing the final details of the royal wedding. 

They discussed everything from the color theme of the wedding to the guest list. To no one’s surprise the wedding was going to be red themed and every powerful entity and journalist would be attending. It was going to be televised, even. 

Every prince, duke and overlord of Hell and their families would stand to witness the first marriage between Hell’s royalty and a mortal soul. It went without saying that this was going to be a massively grand event no one would want to miss.

Everyone involved in the planning knew that this wasn’t as much as a wedding as it was a sort of ceremony to promote a partnership. As far as everyone else knew, it was a legitimate marriage between the business partners-turned lovers. 

It was going to be a televised event showcasing the Radio Demon’s commitment and friendship to the royal family of Hell. It was about safety and bragging rights for the Magne’s and a strategic marriage to boost Charlie’s disastrous reputation. Everything aligned perfectly.

Charlie’s life was an embarrassing blank slate. The fact that nobody cared about the princess of Hell’s personal life allowed them to spin a story about her manufactured romance with the Radio Demon and how they’d fallen in love in such a short time. Nobody would care about the truth of their relationship. 

“Where will you two be living together?”

Charlie choked on her tea and coughed. “Mom!” She cried followed by a few hacks. The few other patrons around them stared daggers at the disruptive table.

Ignoring them, Lilith shrugged and smiled mischievously “What? You’ll be married, what’s wrong with moving in together?” She shamelessly winked at her daughter.

As she coughed, Charlie waved a hand “We haven’t exactly-“

“I’ll be staying at the hotel with Charlie, madame!” Alastor chimed in quickly. Charlie jumped in her seat and stared up at Alastor full of shock.

Lilith cocked an eyebrow and narrowed her gaze on Alastor “Oh wonderful! I know Charlie’s dreams are all put into that hotel,” The false positivity oozed from her sharp smile but Charlie seemed too stunned to be paying attention to her mother’s deathly glare.

“Moving into the hotel with her is quite considerate of you, Alastor.”

Alastor leaned to wrap his arm around Charlie’s shoulder. He grinned widely at the narrowed dagger-like eyes of the queen of Hell and her strained smile. “Why thank you! My dearest’s dreams- as unusual as they are- are her own and I am determined to see my dear bride fulfill her dream!” The tone of his voice was almost nearly as condescending as when he explained how he’d support her hotel only to watch it fail. Once she broke out of her daze, Charlie narrowed his eyes at him as well.

Lilith’s sickly sweet tone stole Charlie’s attention. “Oh my! Charlie dear, isn’t it wonderful to marry someone who believes in your dream? I’m so happy for you!” Lilith caked on the happy act heavier to avert her daughter’s suspicion.

Charlie chuckled nervously and glanced at Alastor who side-eyed her. This was too much all at once. She needed a moment to breathe from the odd situation so she freed herself from Alastor’s grip and stood. “I’m just gonna go to the bathroom real quick,”

As soon as she was out of earshot, Lilith’s cheerful demeanor quickly turned sour. “Okay listen here,” her tone became much deeper and threatening as she leaned over the table to thrust her finger in Alastor’s face. He did not flinch but he raised an eyebrow in amused curiosity. “If you so much as harm a single hair on my daughter’s head, I’ll make sure to erase your sorry ass from existence, you hear me Alastor?” she leaned in closer and narrowed her eyes.

Alastor leaned back a little and chuckled. “Oh dear Lilith! I wouldn’t dream about hurting Charlie! You and I have been friends for decades haven’t we?” The pair stared each other down with increasing intensity. The onlooking patrons around them seemed to quiver a bit at the scene. 

“Good!” Her cheery smile was back as the towering queen sat back into her chair. Though it seemed her snark had not yet left. “And don’t you dare try to think you have any power over her. I know she’d never allow anyone else to dictate her life,” she crossed her arms and scowled. “Someone’s already tried and failed. We’re still inviting him and his miserable family to the wedding, but only to gloat don’t worry.” Lilith spat before sipping on her wine. It was clear that the memory of Charlie’s ex was still sour in Lilith’s mind and no amount of time passed will ever make her think higher of him. 

This was her warning, but Alastor was not afraid. He knew he’d never harm Charlie the way that Seviathan Von Eldritch did. 

He’d never spoken to the prince Von Eldritch’s family, but he knew of Seviathan and Helsa Von Eldritch, the two children of the household. Seviathan and Charlie dated for a time long before Alastor was around, but from what he had heard it had turned into an unpleasant time for Charlie. Details were never shared, but it had been speculated that he did in fact harm her physically. Oh how Alastor would love to tear the little snot to pieces.

Alastor belted a hearty laugh “I wouldn’t dream of it! She’s one fascinating gal, so full of surprises. I wouldn’t dream of hindering her in any way! I’ve been watching her the past half a year and may I say she’s so naturally entertaining, I don’t even need to do a thing! In fact I can see where she gets her flair for theatrics,” he chuckled quietly. But in an instant his lighthearted demeanor took a darker turn to match Lilith’s threatening manner. 

“But I feel as though the royal family is hiding something about her.” the challenging look in Alastor’s eyes made even Lilith flinch.

He’d been mulling over it since he’d heard about her. The rumors about her odd personality piqued his interest. The Radio demon knew there was something off about Charlie. Her optimism, her overall caring nature and thoughtfulness- those weren’t traits of a demon from Hell. She was even the daughter of some of the most powerful beings in Hell yet she never bothered to use any sort of power. Even when she fought with Katie Killjoy she fought with her hands and nothing else. She even won the fight much to Alastor’s amusement. There had to be something about her that the royals of Hell didn’t want to get out.

She scowled from across the table. “That’s none of your damn business.” she hissed.

Alastor placed both elbows on the table and rested his chin on his interlaced fingers. “Oh, I think it’s completely my business seeing that she’s my fiancee,” he tilted his head and his grin widened. “I believe it’s poor practice to hide things from your business partners, is it not?”

Lilith growled but before she could retort, Charlie returned to the table.

“I’m back-“ she glanced back and forth between the two and hesitantly continued. “Uh, is everything okay?” She asked.

Lilith immediately retracted from her defensive posture and smiled at Charlie. “Oh yes of course dear! I was just catching up with Alastor!” She chuckled lightheartedly and motioned for Charlie to sit again.

Charlie obliged and glanced at Alastor, who did not say a word. He did quickly return to his boisterous self, but Charlie couldn’t help but feel something was off about the two.

The rest of the meal continued, but the itch of curiosity bothered Charlie, amongst other things.

After a heartfelt farewell between mother and child, Lilith promised Charlie she’d be there at her dress fitting that week. The queen had already selected an array of dresses suited for the royal wedding and needed Charlie to pick her favorite of the bunch. It was sudden, but everything needed to quickly come together for the fast approaching wedding.

Alastor and Charlie settled beside each other in the Magne family limousine in silence. 

Lunch was far too intense to just be “nothing”. 

It had been bothering her since she noticed the intensity of the room, but it was the remark Alastor had made at the table before that currently irked Charlie. It didn’t feel genuine. Especially since Alastor had been crystal clear with his true, sinister intentions since the beginning. The Radio Demon was not known to be merciful nor trustworthy. 

“I know you want to watch me fail, Al,” she crossed her arms and turned her body toward the window. “I’ve known all along but hearing you lie to my mom like that-“

“Who said I was lying my dear?”

She turned to face him with a confused look “But you told me you wanted to watch my patrons stumble and fall to failure. You don’t believe in my cause.”

The thin demon crossed his legs and rested an elbow on his knee to turn his body toward her. He rested his head on his knuckles and grinned widely. “Oh yes I did! However fools tend to be stuck in their ways and break when challenged. I’m no fool, dear. Saying that, my beliefs have changed. I may not be fully onboard with this whacky little idea, but I must admit it’s gotten much more interesting. Now I’m more curious to see if this “redemption” is even possible.” 

“But you didn’t believe in redemption at all.” Charlie raised an eyebrow. There was a hint of hope on her face that admittedly comforted Alastor. It was strange how six months ago he wanted to build her up then tear her down. But over time he’d realized that anything but a smile did not suit her. And he was determined to keep seeing that warm expression on her face. 

Alastor sighed and chuckled in quiet amusement. “What can I say, dearest? You’ve subverted all expectations I had of you. I think at this point you deserve a sporting chance!” None of it was a lie. She really had blown him and his expectations away and gave him a new unfamiliar source of entertainment he never believed he’d be interested in.

Charlie’s surprised expression turned upward into a small smile. To Alastor it didn’t compare to her wide beautiful smile, but it did put his heart at ease. “Thanks Al,” Alastor’s heart jumped again and his grin melted into a softer, more genuine smile. “No, thank you dearest for surprising me at every corner. You’ve certainly been one hell of an entertainer, kid,”

Charlie snorted and turned fully toward him. “Hey I’m older than you, you know!” Her playful remark and smug look made Alastor genuinely chuckle.

When their laughter died down, Alastor threw her his own smirk. He took her hand closest to him and kissed her knuckles. “Sorry for the disrespect madame, I’ll be sure to respect my elders next time!” He winked and gently dropped her hand. He watched as her entire face started turning red with his smug smile still plastered on his face. 

Charlie quickly turned away from him to try to cool her cheeks and clear her muddled mind in vain. The more she thought about it, the warmer her face seemed to get.

Neither party would admit it out loud, but their hearts were pounding wildly in their chests. Charlie clutched at her heart to make sure it was her heart and not just all in her head. She then glanced at Alastor who was looking down at himself with his own hand resting over his heart with an amused smile on his face. 

_‘Is he feeling the same thing I am?’_ She wondered. Alastor wasn't the feeling sort of type, was he feeling sick? Was he really reacting to their encounter just now?

She shook her head and looked away, choosing to stare out the window instead. She had enough on her mind. She was probably just tired and overthinking things. 

One of those itching thoughts was about her mother and fiancee’s behavior at the restaurant. As much as Charlie wanted to bring up what he and her mother spoke about while she was gone, she didn’t feel like it was right to prod the situation. She’ll find the courage to ask again sometime, but it didn’t seem to be a currently pressing matter. 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosie comes to visit.

Rosie knocked on Alastor’s front door at noon just as the bell of the distant clocktower began tolling for the hour. Luckily for Alastor, Rosie was always politely punctual, allowing him to answer the door on time without fail. 

The moment Alastor opened the door, a shrill voice, pitch black eyes and a sharp set of teeth greeted him. “Alastor! I know you must be busy with the wedding preparations and all, but we must celebrate! Congratulations on moving up in the world my dear!”

Alastor stepped aside and allowed her to enter with the large basket she was carrying. “Why thank you Rosie! But as you know I don’t care for such things as status.” he waved a dismissive hand with a close-lipped smile. No, he had no need for a title with his reputation and power, but he did enjoy the spectacle his ascension was creating.

Journalists have been showing up to the hotel the moment the announcement aired, disrupting his fiancee’s life. 

He visited the hotel during his morning walk that morning and found that he had to toss the trash to the curb just so he could enter the hotel. 

He had to slip under the door after finding it barricaded with lobby furniture and found a disheveled Charlie sitting on the main staircase with her head resting against the banister and eyes closed. 

Seeing her in such a vulnerable and weak state suddenly elicited an odd sensation in his chest that and Alastor wasn’t sure what to do about it. Normally, his heart would only beat abnormally during the thrill of a hunt or a kill, but this was neither. 

It almost concerned him. 

In the end he left the way he came after hearing footsteps coming down the stairs. As he sunk into the shadows and slipped out the door, he felt a pang in his heart. 

On his way back home, a trashy tabloid caught his attention and finally shook him from his thoughts. To his amusement he found that gossip mongers have already spread unsavory rumors about their wedding. Part of him wondered what his fiancee thought about them. Another part wondered if any of them would give him a clue as to why this wedding was happening in the first place. 

Rosie made her way into the modest foyer, turning to face Alastor with a wide, glimmering grin. “Nonsense! You’re going to be a prince! And not just any prince! You’re going to be THE prince consort to the heir of the throne of Hell!” She giddily chuckled as she looped her arm around his bicep and practically dragged him to the sitting room. 

Alastor smirked and rolled his eyes at his friend’s enthusiasm. “Yes well I suppose I will be.” he carelessly agreed. 

Rosie was always good company and had been one of Alastor’s oldest friends since he’d arrived in Hell. She was full of charm and class and could decimate anyone in her way without so much as lifting a finger. He respected few, and admired even fewer, but Rosie was definitely one of the minority that he admired. 

Once the pair reached Alastor’s sitting room, they began their usual routine:

Alastor led his guest to an open seat and sat a short distance away from her, just as they always had when she came to visit. She offered him the pastries she brought in her basket but he declined, just as he always would. Rosie knew how much Alastor disliked sweets, but she was stubborn and refused to make anything else. She’d always insist it was perfect with the tea Alastor always made as if it would change his mind. 

When every pleasantry was over with, they would catch up and swap news and gossip of their own. Being a business owner, Rosie had many interesting customers and clients with dirty secrets that Alastor loved to listen to. 

Today Rosie once again mentioned how well her business was doing without her business partner Franklin, who had very tragically perished during the last cleanse. Six months later, neither Alastor nor Rosie could resist chuckling about it.

Alastor talked about how well the Happy Hotel was doing with the thirty souls they had. Rosie didn’t seem too interested in the hotel itself and instead asked about the hotel’s owner. 

Due to the suddenness of the engagement, nobody outside of Lucifer, Lilith and Alastor knew for a short while. And although Alastor would talk about nearly anything with Rosie, he didn’t have the time to talk about it nor did he want to spoil the surprise. 

At first she seemed offended that he never came to her about his secret relationship with Charlotte Magne. After all, Alastor told her nearly everything going on in his life. She did however find it romantic that he had a private affair with the princess of Hell. 

But when Alastor promptly corrected her, Rosie burst out laughing.

“Oh thank goodness, I thought you had lost your mind! I was trying to be supportive of your poor choices my dear, but you don’t know how relieved I am!” She paused to take a deep breath to recollect herself. 

Once she took a sip of tea, she calmed herself enough to continue. “I hope you can get that little disappointment in line so she can stop embarrassing the royal family! That may even be your purpose in this union Alastor! They seem desperate enough after all!” Rosie’s sickly sweet chuckle suddenly irked Alastor for the first time. He even felt his blood begin to boil as she spoke. Sure they have had their disagreements in the past, but never had her words elicited this kind of reaction out of him.

The room began to increasingly distort as Alastor spoke with a threateningly wide smile. “Now I hope you’re not talking about my fiancee.” Alastor rested his temple on a tightly clenched fist and stared his companion down.

But Rosie did not back down. Her grin widened and her brow furrowed. “Who else would I be talking about? She’s done nothing but make her parents look ridiculous. If I were them I wouldn’t allow her to use her name or station! She’s no more than an awful joke-“

Rosie paused as the loud crinkling of radio static filled the room interrupted her. In a blink, Alastor now stood in front of Rosie with his hands behind his back. “Well I believe you’ve overstayed your welcome Rosie,” The front door suddenly slammed open. The static became loud, but Alastor’s tone was louder and hauntingly clear over the crackling static. “I would prefer to keep my house as neat and tidy as possible. And as a courtesy to you and our lasting friendship, I would like to direct you to the door.” his looming figure gestured toward the door. 

She didn’t falter in the face of his threat. Her smirk sat in place as if she was unimpressed with his threat. As if he didn’t mean it. 

Unbeknownst to her, Alastor truly did mean his threat with every fiber of his being. He couldn’t understand the horrible feeling in his gut nor the reason why he felt this way, but it felt natural to feel the need to tear someone apart in this situation. Maybe if he did it would relieve him of this awful feeling bubbling in him. 

Seeing as Rosie wouldn’t budge, Alastor’s antlers began to rise out of his skull, slowly but surely. It may be his lucky day. He gave her a chance to choose, but at this rate he would gladly have to have her thrown out of his house in pieces and enjoy every second of it. 

As for Rosie, something suddenly hit her. Everything about Alastor today was as usual, but mentioning the princess of Hell suddenly threw him off. His overly defensive reaction was out of character and thus had to mean  _ something _ . 

That  _ something _ seemed almost impossible, but she needed to test her theory. 

Her pitch black eyes narrowed as she stared back up at him. “Since when were you one to fall in love?” Her remark snapped Alastor out of his threatening demeanor almost immediately. His growing antlers receded as did his threatening stature. When the front door slammed shut, there was silence in his home once more. 

Rosie triumphantly smirked. She caught him, but wondered if he knew it himself. The man had always been cold and distant and wasn’t known for charming ladies or flirting. That reason alone made his engagement strange. 

He made it known that he didn’t care for others in any sense. It never stopped the denizens of Hell from trying it with the Radio Demon, but Alastor would easily wave them off without a thought. Most would yield to Alastor’s gentlemanly warnings. 

The less fortunate and more stupid of the bunch wouldn’t be so lucky. 

And gauging on his sudden shift, Rosie found her suspicions proven. He was in love.

She never thought she’d see the day. 

Alastor nearly cracked his gaze.  _ ‘Love, hm?’ _ He nearly burst into laughter at the thought of it. Love was never something he was remotely interested in. Love was a weakness. It made people vulnerable, easy to manipulate. No, love was something he could never see himself indulging in.

But with a cruel twist of the mind, his bubbly fiancee entered his thoughts. His heart skipped. He thought of her smile, her tears, her ragged sleeping face - another skip, another pain in Alastor’s chest. 

_ ‘No, couldn't be,’  _ He shook his head. He would have to think it over later. For now, he had a smug demoness staring back at him. He couldn’t back down now.

Attempting to keep up the facade of confidence on the matter, Alastor chuckled heartily as if Rosie had told a hysterical joke. “Love? Oh no no my dear. This whole affair is strictly business.” he said casually, laughing along with his personal laugh track. 

“Of course it is,” Rosie scoffed a laugh and went back to sipping her tea. 

“Of course it is.” she muttered again into her teacup when he did not shoot back a witty remark in response to her sarcasm. She eyed her good friend and set the teacup down, trying to read his behavior. 

He was back in his seat across from her, but staring past her as if he was shaken up by his realization. 

She would burst into laughter had she not wanted to savor his reaction. Rosie smirked as she lowered her cup. She’d finally stumped the man. Whatever the princess of Hell did to him, Rosie applauded her for it.

Understanding what went on in Alastor’s head was something even Rosie could not guess. Even with their decades of friendship, he was still quite the enigma. She knew him better than others did but that seemed to be changing.

Now there was someone new. She was certain that no individual had ever occupied his mind like this before. How had the princess of Hell cracked into the mind of this man? To have this kind of hold on him where even he hadn’t realized it yet was quite the feat. He even agreed to marry her without even noticing his feelings for her. 

What could have the princess done to earn his attention? Maybe the people of Hell have underestimated princess Charlotte.

Rosie couldn’t help but chuckle quietly at the hopeless radio demon. _ ‘She’s made a love stricken fool out of one of the most feared beings in Hell.’ _ This was certainly a development she didn’t see coming, but it was a welcome one. 

This princess must certainly be something else. 


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank @Shisuriyoko on Twitter (and Shisuri-yoko on Tumblr) for the PERFECTION in which she interpreted the final scene of this chapter <3 please send her love!  
> https://twitter.com/shisuriyoko/status/1245927692740046848?s=20

It was exactly one week before the wedding and every time Charlie thought about it, her stomach did flips. It was all happening too fast. She still hadn’t had time to process her feelings on the matter; or any feelings for a certain radio demon that may be budding within her. The past couple of days had been an emotional rollercoaster and she desperately needed a break to clear her head. The thick fog in her mind made it difficult to concentrate even on the simplest of tasks.

“Charlie dear!” Her mother’s voice broke her out of her trance-like state. Shaking her head, Charlie suddenly remembered where she was. She was in her mother’s limousine and they were going to her dress fitting. It was the final detail Charlie would need to complete by herself. After that she would have the rest of the week to contemplate on it all.

When she looked up to her mother, she found Lilith’s eyes full of motherly concern. “What’s the matter my dear?” Lilith leaned forward to scoop up Charlie’s hands and held them firm in her grasp as if she thought Charlie would wander again.

With a small tired smile, Charlie sighed. “I dunno… it’s just been… a lot in a week, you know,” she shrugged and let her gaze drop again. “I haven’t had time to let everything sink in yet and I feel like I’ve just been…” she paused to choose the right word for how she’s been feeling, but even she still couldn’t quite tell how she was feeling about the situation.

It was strange. Charlie had dreamt about this day since she was a young girl, but it felt much different than she imagined. Her younger self imagined herself and her mother spending the day finding the perfect dress for her wedding, where she’d be marrying the love of her life and live happily ever after. She was supposed to be ecstatic for this day, but now it all just feels like an idyllic dream of a naive girl. She knew this was a possibility in her life and was warned it was necessary. Naively, she just never thought it would have to happen, especially not so soon. 

And now she had been rushed into a two week engagement where she wasn’t sure about her feelings for her dismissive fiancee. 

Alastor. He practically admitted he was marrying her because he was bored. She should be upset- angry at him even. But what would have happened if he denied her father’s proposal? If a strategic marriage was going to happen anyway, who was next on her father’s list? Should she be relieved to have it have been Alastor rather than some other unknown suitor who’d give less than a damn about her? 

At least Alastor seemed to give some damn about her. If she didn’t know any better, she would have thought he actually cared about her judging based on his actions the past couple of days. No, he was probably making her happy to keep up the facade. 

Still, it was better than nothing she supposed. 

She shook her head once more, realizing she was drifting off into her thoughts again. But she couldn’t help it, it was all too much, too fast and she still hasn’t caught up with it all just yet

Charlie looked back up at her mother once more, then back down to their joined hands. 

She couldn’t remember the last time they got to spend time together like this. With how often her mother was away touring, moments like these were too few and too precious. Sure it wasn’t under the best of circumstances, but it was something.

And here Charlie was, wasting her precious time with her mother by sulking on a day she wanted to be excited about.

“-run through the gutter?” Lilith finished for her. She wasn’t wrong, but it wasn’t what the hurt demoness was looking for. 

Lilith brought her slender fingers up to her daughter’s cheek and stroked it lovingly, bringing Charlie’s gaze to focus on her. “I know this is difficult, Charlie. And I’ve been so proud of you for staying strong for the family. Trust me, your father and I didn’t want to rush you into marriage like this. But we truly believe that this arrangement will benefit you in the end. The sooner this happens, the easier your future will be. You won’t have to suffer or struggle anymore,”

It wasn’t exactly what Charlie wanted to hear. But she didn’t expect to hear what she wanted anyway. She didn’t even know what she wanted to hear. After all, she was marrying Alastor for her family and for herself. She still didn’t know what caused her father to make such a hasty decision, but it must have something to do with securing the throne and her future. 

And it wasn’t as if she was trapped in this marriage, she could still do whatever she wanted. She and Alastor could just live their normal lives separately and play their roles in this partnership for show. They’d been perfectly professional up until now, it shouldn’t be too difficult to keep it going with new roles. 

Charlie leaned into her mother’s touch and sighed once more. “I know.” At least she felt a little weight off her shoulders now that she'd shared just a sliver of her complex feelings. 

“But if he hurts you in any way, please tell me immediately. Okay? You know he’s dangerous.” She squeezed Charlie’s hands to emphasize her concern. 

As if by reflex, a knot formed in Charlie’s gut. She knew her mother was talking about Alastor- who was unpredictable and dangerous. But somehow the one who immediately came to mind was Seviathan.  _ ‘No. Not again.’  _ Charlie scolded as she stamped out the thought of her ex. No one was going to hurt her again. She wasn’t the same naive little girl anymore. 

Taking a deep breath, Charlie gathered her strength to shoot her mother a reassuring smile and a firm yet simple, “Okay.” 

The limousine came to a halt at that moment and shortly after, the pair were greeted by a team of demons in gaudy outfits. Lilith introduced them as her stylist team that would get her hair and makeup done to perfection on the day of the wedding. 

None of them seemed interested in interacting with Charlie much and spoke directly to her mother about styles. After a few choices, Lilith asked Charlie what she thought would look good. But unfortunately for her, the style she personally chose just wasn’t “impressive enough” and “overdone”. After that, she just sat quiet in the chair and let her consciousness drift off, letting everyone else decide for her. 

Luckily enough the rest of the day went on as planned and Charlie actually had fun trying on dresses and spending time with her mother. Though none of the dresses that had been picked out for her were her ideal dress, she finally settled on one that she liked best. 

By the end of the day everything was ready. Her dress was perfect and her hair and makeup was carefully planned. Everything was perfect for the wedding and she was finally free of preparations until the big day. It was a weight lifted from her shoulders, leaving the emotional tension to work out.

Knowing how exhausted her daughter was, Lilith brought Charlie back to the hotel as soon as the fitting was over with. Though both wanted to keep spending what little time they had together, it was clear Charlie was drained.

Once she was dropped off at the front of the Hazbin Hotel, Charlie waved as she watched her mother leave and stood where she was for a moment, taking advantage of the stillness in the air to clear her head. 

If only for a moment. Apparently Charlie’s mind was not going to let her rest even with the somewhat still atmosphere.

Oddly enough, the first thought that came to her mind was Alastor. Charlie wondered how Alastor really felt about the arrangement. Before, he said it was because he thought it would be fun, but was that really just it? She’d have to ask him again before the wedding, but she hadn’t talked to him much. There just wasn’t much time since Charlie began juggling both her wedding and her hotel duties. She had only spoken to him in passing the past couple of days so they hadn’t had a real conversation since the ride back from the meeting with her mother.

When she remembered how he behaved that day in the limousine, her heart began to race.  _ ‘No no, not right now.’ _ she mentally scolded to no avail.

No, all she could think about was how he looked at her with half lidded eyes, his lips pressed against her fingers and the wink that followed- it was maddening. She knew what this was and she needed to be rid of this crush soon. Alastor was a man that played and manipulated others, there was no way Alastor felt any sort of feelings beyond friendly with her. These embers of longing was a futile effort destined for heartbreak and Charlie needed to protect herself. 

“No more thoughts, please.” she begged under her breath. As she walked up to the hotel door, she thought about how she’ll grab some food from the kitchen, check up with Vaggie and finally go to sleep.

But it seemed that a break was too much to ask for. The moment she opened the door, Alastor greeted her. “Dearest.” The smile on his face was as wide as ever.

Charlie’s stomach dropped. She reflexively slammed the door in his face and opened it again, hoping she was just seeing things. 

“I do hope we are not doing this again,” he said as he leaned over to prevent the familiar cycle of slamming doors in his face. He kept a firm hold on the door despite the fact that Charlie had no intention of slamming it in his face again. “Is everything alright?” He quirked a brow.

It was then Charlie realized how close they were. She snapped out of her daze and hastily let go of the door handle, nearly sending Alastor toppling over her. Instinctively she readied her hands to hold him up in front of her. Luckily she managed to catch him in time.

However the contact between them didn’t register until Charlie opened her eyes. With wide eyes and her mouth agape, the flustered demoness squeaked in surprise. “Ah! Sorry I-“ she paused when she felt his heart beating under the firm press of her hands. The pace was fast and wild, just like her’s at the moment. She peered up at him with a shocked expression. “Al, your heart’s racing.” she blurted without much thought.

“So is your’s.” Alastor responded with his eyes equally as wide open in clear interest. Charlie glanced down and found both of Alastor’s hands wrapped around her wrists with the pads of his fingers pressed against her pulse.

Neither knew what to say. Neither dared to move, but both were mystified by the sensation.

Alastor’s heart felt like it was going to burst as he stared down at his fiancee’s lovely face. Through his half lidded gaze he watched as a crimson blush invaded her cheeks, her large eyes staring back at him in shock and wonder and her lips parted ever so slightly-

Quickly, Alastor recovered himself and released Charlie from his grasp. Charlie frantically responded by removing her hands from his chest and clasping them behind her back.

Alastor cleared his throat. “Ah, I came here tonight to ask a favor of you,” he nonchalantly continued their conversation as if the moment before never happened. Charlie on the other hand nearly jumped out of her skin when he spoke up. “Despite our partnership, I know quite little about you dear. This may not be your ideal union but I would like to get to know my fiancee a bit better,” he spoke with confidence but his beating heart made it difficult to focus. Alastor continued as Charlie had yet to respond. “I would like to invite you to my home for a chat tomorrow.”

What came next was nearly incoherent stammering from the demon princess. Alastor expected her to decline, yet to his surprise she ended up sputtering her agreement. With a satisfactory answer, Alastor went home to leave the flustered demoness to her own devices.

Charlie was always full of surprises. The more time Alastor spent around her, the more of a mystery she became. She, with a pure heart and powerful parentage was nothing more than a puzzle to Alastor only six months ago. Now she captivated his thoughts and challenged his resolve without even trying. Every smile, every kindness she gave him despite knowing fully well who he was, was different and completely unexpected.

Daresay it inspired some positive feelings he never thought existed and he was equal parts curious as he was excited about the feeling.

Maybe Rosie was right. He hated to admit it, but what he felt there was a desire he had never looked for himself. It had to be the one emotion he never acknowledged in his life. 

Alastor once thought love was a weakness, that any feeling one had toward another constituted a weak point to be exploited.

But from that encounter in the doorway, he had realized something new. It was a type of longing- a yearning. It was akin to his yearning for a satisfying kill, but not at the same time. He didn’t want to kill her, no. He wanted her and just her. He wanted to hear her heart beat again. He wanted to see her again. He wanted to touch her. But most of all, he wanted to understand this odd sensation and revel in the discovery of it.

“If this is love-” Alastor smiled widely and clutched at his chest. At the feeling of his wildly beating heart, he emitted a low chuckle. “-then I want more.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie comes over for a visit to get answers. Alastor has his own plans for her. Neither get very far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It was a lot of fun writing and editing this chapter, ngl haha
> 
> please enjoy!

“Why did I say yes?!” Charlie groaned as she slid down her bedroom’s closed door. Not only did she say ‘yes’, she sputtered and stumbled over her words like a grade-A idiot. The worst part was that Alastor hardly reacted to her screw up! She expected him to laugh at her or tease her to oblivion yet he treated it like any normal encounter. 

He didn’t even flinch. The Radio Demon was impossible to read under that impossibly wide smile. No one knew what he was truly thinking and he made sure no one could ever guess behind his carefree and calm exterior. 

But how could he be so outwardly calm and collected all the time? Charlie couldn’t understand how he could be with his heart racing as fast as her’s.

Charlie’s eyebrows shot up in realization.  _ ‘His heartbeat…’ _ She looked down at her hands and remembered how quick it was- how wild it beat under her palms. It was just like her’s in that moment. “He couldn’t…” she paused, staring holes through her palms. “Could he?” She whispered. She couldn’t have imagined it right? His heart was racing, Charlie was sure of it. She felt it with her own hands and he admitted it himself. 

Just to be sure, Charlie pinched her forearm just enough to make it hurt. “Ow!” She yelped, cursing herself as she rubbed the sore area immediately after. “Okay…” she sighed, letting her head lull back to stare up at the ceiling. “I’m definitely awake…” 

She wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Either way it left her a complicated mess of thoughts and feelings. 

The frustrated demoness brought her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her coiled legs. With a long groan she let her forehead hit the top of her knee, not minding the dull pain of the collision. “What the hell’s going on?” She muttered as if her question would be answered. However in her large empty room, no one knew the answer but herself.

She knew what this was and because of it she couldn’t help the layers dread and butterflies in the pit of her stomach. What she was fearing for the past couple of days was true, but she couldn’t find the courage to admit it out loud. No, if she said it out loud then it would be too real, too tangible and too difficult to deal with should Alastor not feel the same.

But did he feel the same? Charlie had her suspicions a couple of days ago in the limousine, but that was all they were up until now: suspicions. Alastor was never honest or vocal about his true feelings, but what he did in the doorway downstairs might as well have been him admitting his feelings for her. But was it fair to just assume that? After all he’d never shown interest in her before, or anyone really.

Shaking her head and slapping her cheeks, Charlie gathered herself and stood. She was an adult, she needed to act like it. This was just a convenient political marriage, nothing more. Alastor was using her just as much as she was using him. That was it. 

It wasn’t like they were going to be a real couple. They were partners at best, she just needed to act like it. 

It wasn’t like this was love. It was just a silly crush. 

She needed to pull herself together. 

Charlie deliberated on her gameplan tomorrow. She needed to get it together and confront him about what was happening between them. She needed to know what those moments they’d been having together meant. Their dance, the lunch with her mother, the limousine and now tonight; she needed to know what it all meant to him. She couldn’t stay passive to him when he could be messing with her and her feelings. 

But for now, she desperately needed rest.

Though as exhausted as she was, she could not find relief in slumber for most of the night. She tossed and turned, dozing in and out of sleep thanks to the overwhelming thoughts of a certain radio demon. She kept hearing the sound of his radio-backed chuckles when she tried to focus on the silence and saw his half lidded gaze whenever she closed her eyes. 

* * *

Charlie woke feeling drained of energy, but she managed to power through her morning for the sake of the hotel. She learned that dread and anticipation were just as good, if not better than caffeine. 

But it wasn’t until she found herself at Alastor’s doorstep did she feel the most awake- and the most anxious.

Alastor’s house was surprisingly normal, especially for an eccentric overlord such as himself. His home was a Queen Anne Victorian complete with a modest porch with black shingles over a mainly red exterior and mahogany brown front door. It was classy, but modest in comparison to the mansions, palaces and complexes the other mortal overlords were known to live in. It certainly wasn’t something Charlie was expecting from the dramatic Radio Demon. Actually, she wasn’t sure what to expect from him. A murder shack? A Murder mansion maybe? 

Charlie arrived wearing a dress she’d been wanting to wear for a while. But now that she looked up at the intimidatingly red house, she felt like she stuck out like a sore thumb with her white and peach dress. 

When she knocked on the door it immediately opened. As if he had been waiting there all day, Alastor stood at the threshold with an unusually enthusiastic smile plastered on his face. Suddenly feeling cold feet at the sight of her towering fiancee, Charlie stuttered a greeting and invited herself in, feeling his eyes staring holes into her back. 

Alastor paid her behavior no mind for the sake of his plan. Though he found her nervousness adorable, he restrained himself from teasing Charlie. After all, he couldn’t scare her away now could he? No, he had plans for her. He planned the evening out to perfection and he was determined to test the limits of the new emotion he’d been feeling. 

Normally Alastor would sit across from his guests at a respectful distance. Even with those he considered friends, he still prefered the gap to prevent unwanted contact. 

But somehow this demon princess had compelled him to throw out his ways in that regard. Even from the moment he met her he felt the need to be close to her and the need only seemed to amplify with time. 

When she took a seat on the loveseat in the parlor, Alastor took the liberty to fit in beside her. Charlie didn’t say a word about it but Alastor noted how she shrunk into herself to expand the gap between them. Though they were still close in proximity, it still wasn’t enough for Alastor. He suddenly needed more. His hand itched as his gaze drifted to her turned face. 

His heart rate increased steadily as if he were stalking a prey. The need and want urged him to move in, but not to kill. He only wanted to be closer and feel her warmth and have her eyes on him. 

_ ‘He’s so close! _ ’ Charlie exclaimed mentally, trying desperately to keep her composure. She couldn’t see him, but it felt like he was looming over her. The moment he answered the door, all Charlie could feel was Alastor’s eyes on her. Alastor wasn’t known to be subtle, but Charlie couldn’t understand what he was trying to do by staring at her and saying nothing. All she could do was grip at her peach-colored skirts and think. 

_ ‘Wait, how do I even ask him? Shit I didn’t think this through… Should I start with something first?’ _ She nearly forgot the main reason why she was here. They were supposed to talk to understand each other, but all Charlie understood was how Alastor could make anyone feel like they were food. 

But still, she needed to confront him. And in her mind, the best way to start was to make eye contact. She glanced up at him, fully expecting to find the intense gaze of a hungry predator. However nothing could prepare her for the true intensity of it. As soon as she made eye contact, she turned away. 

He was indeed staring at her, but maybe not quite as animalistically as Charlie thought. From a quick glance, she noticed that while Alastor was staring at her with wide, intense eyes, he was not actually looming over her. He kept an upright posture with a tight lipped, wide smile. 

Alastor swore his heart stopped at the sight of her large doe eyes glancing up at him, even for just a moment. It triggered something in him. He couldn’t understand why, but he desperately wanted her to look at him again. He wanted that gaze only on him and him alone. Suddenly a stronger kind of hunger took hold over the comparatively superficial need he had earlier. 

It didn’t help having her here with him in his own home as it gave him ideas. Ideas that made him realize how easy it would be to keep her here forever. 

Charlie on the other hand was too busy trying to clear her head and bolster up her courage again. She needed to clear the air and start a conversation if they were going to get anywhere.  _ ‘Okay, now what? Do I just jump in with it? No that’s weird. Maybe an ice breaker?’  _ Charlie frantically thought.

She recalled back to all of the questions she had to ask about Alastor, desperately trying to grasp for any complete question that came to mind.Though it proved difficult having a set of eyes boring holes into her head. 

With the first coherent thought locked into her head, Charlie cut into the thick, tense silence. “What’s your last name?” It wasn’t the worst question, and it was definitely something she’d thought about once, but she realized the awkward timing of it. 

As if breaking free from a spell, Alastor snapped out of his predatory instinct. The question definitely caught him off-guard. She did look oddly tense, was she having troubles asking him questions? Did she not know what to ask him? It was a valid question for a fiancee she didn’t know, but it made him wonder what else she was curious about. 

He cleared his throat, hoping to clear his mind of his unsated thoughts of her. “I let go of that as soon as I entered Hell. It no longer matters to me.” He responded dismissively. He had no need for a surname, not when the utterance of the name Alastor struck knowing fear in all who heard it. Even in life he hardly ever used his surname save for formalities and legal documents. He was always just Alastor and he’d been content with that for nearly a century. 

“Then take mine,” As soon as Charlie blurted those words, she tensed again. Without giving Alastor a chance to respond, she turned her body toward him and waved her hands in front of her frantically. “I mean- uh when we’re married, why don’t you take my last name? Since you don’t have one!”

Alastor’s eyebrows shot up at the suggestion. He’d never thought about sharing a last name with her. In Hell, names rarely mattered if you were not important. Having the Magne family name tacked onto his infamous reputation would certainly be amusing, but for some reason it didn’t matter as much as sharing a name with Charlie did. She was essentially adopting him into her family. She trusted him with the name and wanted to share it with him. The thought of it filled him with an oddly wholesome warmth.

“Are you sure?” He asked with a part amused-part surprised expression. It was untraditional, but everything about her was. She was the variable he couldn’t predict and the mystery that he had still yet to crack. It only made him want her more. He reminded himself that it wouldn’t be difficult to apprehend and keep her. He even felt his shadow twitch with anticipation at the thought.

Calmer now, Charlie nodded. “Yeah, I’m sure. Why not?” She shrugged and chuckled nervously. On the surface, she was embarrassed that she casually blurted out one of her random thoughts. However she couldn’t help but be glad that she did. He seemed to be giving it some real thought seeing that he didn’t initially laugh her off.

“Alastor Magne, hm?” The sound of it was strange considering how he’d long disposed of his old surname and went on without one. But it didn’t sound bad.

As soon as Alastor recited his new full name, Charlie smiled softly. For some reason she felt warm and her worries even drifted in that moment. The deer demon seemed to like the name judging by his own intrigued smile. He almost looked like a curious child, testing out a new word. Alastor seemed to be like a child in a way, always curious. As morbid as he sometimes was with the way he discovered things, she couldn’t deny it was very endearing to watch. “I think it suits you.” she said with a warm smile.

The sight of such a pure and sweet smile set Alastor’s heart ablaze as if it were the final straw. The twinge in his chest nearly had him breaking his composure, but he struggled through it in order to keep up his image. 

How could she so easily unravel him with her smile, Alastor didn’t know. Was it some sort of ability she had? Could she unravel anyone who fell for her charms? Or was this just a byproduct of this ‘love’ he was feeling? “Why thank you.” he said simply. However despite his plain response and efforts to keep his cool, Charlie watched a bright crimson gain on his cheeks as he quickly looked away, feigning deep thought.

“Are you… blushing?” The demoness asked as she absentmindedly bent closer to him.

Little did she know her close proximity made his heart race faster. “No no! I’m just fine my dear!” It felt wrong how one moment he wanted her closer, but now that she was, he only wanted to push her away. He cursed the confliction in needs, but it didn’t matter as much as concealing the clear blush on his face. 

“Al,” she started, still leaning in close to him. 

“How do you feel about the wedding? About me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys should look up what a Queen Anne Victorian looks like, they're gorgeous! I saw one built in the 1880s in New Orleans while I was doing research for this chapter and they're amazing! The architecture is so whacky but still look so elegant and refined!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor wants to know what love feels like, but he quickly regrets it. 
> 
> Charlie gathers her courage to stand up to Alastor's unintentional creepiness once more.

“How do you feel about the wedding? About me?”

Alastor paused, taken aback by her unexpected question. Was she testing him? What did she expect him to say? Should he appeal to her? What did she want to hear? 

It suddenly occurred to him that he’d never considered her own feelings on their arrangement. Charlie seemed to be taking it in stride since she had agreed to their engagement, but he’d caught her in a miserable state a few times now. He thought that it was a shame considering how bright and beautifully animated she always was. He just couldn’t find any joy in her downtrodden moods despite the fact that he’d dreamed about crushing her dreams himself at one point. In fact, just the mere thought of anything other than a smile on Charlie’s face irked him. 

Alastor had also been so wrapped up in the exhilarating nature of this new feeling, that he failed to remember that Charlie was the one with the most experience in love. After all she had taken several lovers in her long life, maybe her experience could be of some use for his own understanding. 

What exactly did she think of him? She’d always been pleasant to him, but what were her true feelings toward him? Did she resent him for being part of this arrangement? 

“How convenient, I was just going to ask you the same thing! What are your thoughts, my dear? I feel as though I have been neglecting your feelings on this matter.” He asked carefully, studying her reactions.

She pouted and challengingly shot her head up toward his. “Hey that’s no fair, I asked you first!”

He leaned in close, forcing her to retract her craned neck in response. “Yes, but I believe you should go first seeing how-” he brought a finger to her chin and tilted it up so he had a clear view of her entire reddening face. “-reactive you are to this situation.” He admired her beautifully flushed expression with a hungry gaze. She was as red as a cherry and Alastor couldn’t help but feel his hunger grow as he shifted his gaze to her eyes. 

His reaction startled Charlie. He spoke so easily and seemed to be enjoying this far too much. Alastor always enjoyed watching others suffer and it seemed as if he was doing that right now by teasing her without a care. 

And yet, through his half-lidded gaze, she felt that something was off. His gaze was soft, non-threatening and relaxed; far off from the intense, narrow-eyed teasing leer she was familiar with. She began to relax upon her realization, but still couldn’t look away from him. It wouldn’t have taken much effort considering that she could easily remove her chin from his lone finger. 

Charlie couldn’t tell how long they’d been sitting mere inches from each other’s faces, but the thought wasn’t her main concern. She’d been entranced by Alastor’s half-lidded gaze that saw right through her. 

Her lips parted to catch a breath she’d forgotten to take. The breath woke her enough to form a coherent sentence. “Does it matter?” The words fell out of her mouth without much thought. 

“I do believe it does considering how you bothered to ask me,” he shifted his hand so he could hold Charlie’s jaw firmly in place with his thumb and index fingers. The rest of his fingers laid over the pulse on her neck. Her heart was already beating quick and as hard as a drum. Just like his own heart.

Surprised by the sudden change of tone, Charlie’s brow furrowed as she looked away from Alastor. 

_ ‘No, look at me and only me dearest.’ _

His growing hunger began to take complete hold once her gaze drifted from him. His irrational need for those eyes on him again captivated his thoughts. He needed to come up with something to hold her attention lest he crack.

Alastor slowly brought his face even closer to her’s. The distance between them was now paper thin. “Maybe this will help you decide,” he whispered. Just as he wanted, her wide eyes whipped back up at him in pure shock. It didn’t seem possible but it felt like her pulse had quickened under his fingers. Her intense gaze on him mixed with the warmth that radiated off her cheeks made his core stir. Quickly, the deer demon figured out exactly what he wanted from her and the desire to close the gap between them had never been so great until now. 

“Tell me Charlie, is there something you would like me to do?” he asked with a slightly teasing tone, enjoying her reactions while studying them. 

“I want…” she breathed. Due to their slowly closing distance, Alastor felt her warm breath lightly brush upon his lips. 

Her large eyes fluttered closed in anticipation, as if she were expecting him to close the distance. Part of her wanted him to. Her shaking hands wanted to reach up and tangle themselves in his red hair. She needed him to-

Charlie’s eyes shot open, snapping her out of her trance. She found Alastor’s closed eyes and her heart nearly exploded.  _ ‘What am I doing? What is he doing? This isn’t like him at all.’  _ Taking her captor by surprise, she quickly decided on her move.

In one swift motion she managed to duck out of his grasp and scramble up from the loveseat. She stepped behind the coffee table, as if it was something that she could hide behind. Especially when he had a hungry look on his face. “I need to use your bathroom.” she forced a nervous smile. It was an obvious lie, but she needed a moment to breathe and collect herself.

Alastor straightened his back and stared at her with an amused smile. “First door to your left down the hall.” he pointed as he responded nonchalantly. With a tense nod, Charlie briskly left, feeling Alastor’s gaze on her before she quickly turned the corner.

Once she was out of view, Alastor stared down at the floor with his eyes as wide as dinner plates.  _ ‘What was that?’ _ Confusion overtook him as well as a plethora of mixed emotions. What started as light teasing to get answers, evolved into something he wasn’t expecting. His body moved on his own, yet he enjoyed and allowed everything to happen as it did. He felt so out of control and he didn’t even try to resist. 

Now all he felt was dissatisfaction and craved even more of her and her warmth. He had to know what that all meant. Did she do something to him to make him act strangely and long for her so irrationally? Was he somehow ill? 

He shook the feeling as he looked up at the clock. He was surprised to find it much later than he expected. They would be having a late lunch, but it didn’t matter. He desperately needed the distraction and distance to sort things out. 

_ ‘Maybe I’m just hungry.’ _ He thought with the slightest bit of doubt ebbing at him. 

When she returned, Charlie found Alastor had just finished laying out food on the dining table. Cautiously, she approached looking over the impressive spread before looking up to Alastor, who seemed to return to his normal smile and demeanor. It was as if nothing had happened between them. 

Wordlessly, he gestured to the seat he’d pulled out. Equally as silent, Charlie sat and Alastor moved to seat himself once she was settled in. 

Charlie desperately wanted to speak up, but couldn’t bring herself to even mention the circumstance they were in earlier. Just the thought of it twisted her insides and warmed her face. 

Alastor was no better. With a full mouth and mind, Alastor was lost in his thoughts. He was still stuck on the feeling of longing and confusion that persisted even as they ate across from each other. No matter how hard he tried to think about something else, the yearning managed to sneak up on him. It perturbed him greatly seeing how he was always so sure and collected. But just glancing at his fiancee from across the table only made the feeling stronger. 

Maybe it wasn’t love. Maybe he was just hungry for her. He wondered how the princess would taste, properly seasoned on his plate. Alastor looked down at the piece of roast he’d just cut from his plate, pretending the flesh was his guest’s. 

It didn’t feel quite right. He nearly grimaced at the thought and paused to mentally shake the idea away. The repulsion didn’t sit right either. 

_ ‘Is love really this confusing?’  _ He mentally huffed at his pathetic state. He suddenly realized why he believed love to be a weakness. It jumbled the mind and removed all sense. It made fools of people, just as he felt he was in that moment. 

He looked up at the source of his suffering. Charlie was too preoccupied with the food on her plate to notice him. He’d been so confident about all of this. What started as a source of entertainment turned to too many complexities for his liking. It was ironic that just last night he didn’t think it would be this difficult to understand. But now all he could understand was his own foolishness. 

They wordlessly ate with the tension quickly building around them. Small glances were exchanged across the table as neither could say a word to the other. Alstor’s smile never wavered but with each glance, Charlie could only awkwardly smile back at him.  _ ‘How is he doing that?’ _ She asked, frustrated and jealous of his ability to stay calm at all times.

Alastor glanced across the table, noting his fiancee’s discomfort. She fidgeted in her seat as she picked at her food like a nervous child. Charlie was like an open book, so honest in her feelings, making it difficult for her to lie. Right now it was clear that she was bothered by something if her awkward demeanor meant anything. He would press the subject eventually, but he needed to prepare and collect himself before even thinking about pressing her. He needed to conquer this feeling before he lost his mind to this dangerous feeling called ‘love’. 

It certainly was getting difficult for Charlie to sit still. The tension was too much and Charlie didn’t know how to cut through it. So when she ate her fill, she decided to push the little remaining food left on her plate to distract herself as best as she could.

Stuck with her thoughts, it was then Charlie realized they weren’t getting anywhere. If they weren’t going to be open and honest, would this marriage work? Sure they could live separate lives, but she’d like to at least be better friends with her soon-to-be lifelong partner. She’d seen how miserable the other members of the royal court were in their marriages. Many of them couldn’t stand their partners even a bit and she didn’t want that for them. She needed to speak up and break Alastor out of his own reserved shell. 

It also hit her that he never answered her questions. He deflected them by flustering her. And he made it look so easy. 

No, she was not going to let him play her like this. She will get her answers from him. As much as she wanted to be open, she also wanted to make sure he knew that this would be another partnership. She made her stand once at the hotel, she could do it again. 

“Alastor I just realized you never answered my questions,” she said firmly as she placed her utensils down, deciding that she was done skirting around and playing with her food.

Alastor suddenly perked up, surprised by how quickly her demeanor changed. She even confidently called him by his full name.  _ ‘Now where did this little flame come from?’  _ Intrigued by the sudden confidence his fiancee had gained, he decided to play. “You felt my heart, did you not Charlie? What do you think it means?”

She clutched at her skirts under the table. “You feel the same then.”

Upon hearing those words, his heart was alight once again. He’d just started this teasing banter, but he nearly cracked in hearing those simple words. No, not yet. He wanted to hear her say how she feels clearly.

He flashed a coy smile. “Oh the same? Are you trying to tell me something, sweetheart?” His unfiltered voice peeked through just for a moment. 

Charlie did not waver. “You know what I mean.”

“I’m a man of many talents my dear, but mind reading is not one of them.” 

Charlie immediately caught onto what he was playing. And she knew how to beat him at it. He wasn’t going to leave her a flustered mess this time. 

She took a deep breath and relaxed. It was now or never. “You know, that warm and fuzzy feeling you get whenever you’re around someone?” Charlie raised her hand and rested it over her racing heart. “Or how your heart beats really fast when you just look at them?”

She watched as his sly smirk faltered. ‘ _ Got you!’ _ If she wasn’t trying to stay so serious, Charlie would have jumped out of her seat with joy. 

_ ’So she does feel it.’ _ Alastor realized exactly what she just did when he noticed the smug smile on her face. He chuckled, impressed that she managed to cleverly circumvent him once more. He placed his utensils down to give her his full attention. Now that she’s brought it up, this was the perfect opportunity to ask her about his feelings as casually as possible. He rested his elbow on the table, allowing his chin to rest on a closed fist. “So would you say what you feel is love?”

Her eyebrows shot up and her racing heart stopped. “L-love?” she choked out. 

“Yes, love.”

Charlie cocked her head to the side, confused and concerned. “I wasn’t talking about- Don’t you think it’s too early for that?”

Alastor’s eyebrows shot up. This was news to him. He wasn’t aware that there were steps to this. “Is it?”

“I-Al. Do you know what love is?”

His silence told Charlie everything she needed to know. Through his neutral wide smile, she could see his uncertainty begin to peek. “You don’t, do you?” She stood from the table, dropping her lap napkin on her nearly empty plate. She approached him with a soft understanding smile that warmed his core and softened his expression.

Charlie reached down, took both of his hands and pulled him up from his chair. She took a couple steps backward, leading him to an open space. Once she stopped, she brought his hands to either side of her waist and placed her own to rest on either of his shoulders. “Let’s try something then. Just follow along.” 

With a confused look, Alastor nodded, willing to see where this went. Charlie nodded in response and began humming. She moved her feet after a moment, leading him into a calming sway. 

Alastor thought how weird being touched and led about felt. Normally he would never give in so willingly like this, preferring to be in control at all times. Yet being in the little demon princess’ care felt somewhat comforting. It had been a long time since he’d put even a little trust into someone that this little experiment felt refreshing. 

Slowly and unknowingly, they’d closed the gap between their bodies. Charlie’s arms found themselves wrapped around his neck while Alastor had unconsciously wrapped his own around her waist. 

Charlie smiled as she pressed her head into his chest where she heard his heart race. She wondered if he could somehow feel her own heart race against him. 

Though neither wanted to stop, Charlie eventually stopped humming and they stood in silence. 

Still in Alastor’s arms, Charlie tilted her head up to see his softened gaze looking back down at her. “So how do you feel?” She asked, removing her head. She took a slight step back, moving her arms to rest on his shoulders once more.

Alastor hesitated as he fell entranced by the way she stared up at him. She was a true vision of purity and beauty that he couldn’t understand. Had she not been the demon princess of Hell, he could have mistaken her for an angel from Heaven. “…Like my heart is going to burst.”

It was true and although he normally wouldn’t have admitted it out loud, he needed to get an explanation. He needed to control himself and understand what this all meant. He didn’t want to play this game anymore. Not when his gut told him to quit messing around. “What does that mean?”

She ignored him and continued. “Are you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside?” She quirked an eyebrow, only half-teasing with her question.

Alastor’s expression twisted into an amused smile coupled with a questioning look. He hummed as he thought about it for a moment. She wasn’t just fooling around. The fire alight in his core was still there through their conversation. “…yes?” He replied quieter than he expected. Charlie giggled at his oddly reserved response.

In that moment, Alastor realized that her laughter was always light and beautifully musical to his ears. Never had anyone’s laughter come close to sounding as divine or melodic. Everything about her was musical, from her sing-song voice to the way she carried herself with a dancer’s gait. 

Never had he known love in his life, but Alastor also had never been so sure that this was it. His mother once told him stories of love and how pure and strange it was. He’d seen glimpses of it in others. Now that he had been feeling this strangely pure emotion for a while, he was certain. “So this is love.” he concluded with a perfectly clear radio-less voice.

Charlie’s blush grew. She bashfully looked to the side and replied. “I dunno, but maybe it’s getting there,” she replied as a small smile graced her lips. It dropped quickly when she continued. “I like you, Al. I really do, but I don’t think I feel as strongly as you do me.”

She felt Alastor’s hand gently cup her cheek. As she peered back up at him, her heart nearly stopped. The look he gave her was boyish and pure with a softened, close-lipped smile. His furrowed eyebrows sat atop a softened gaze. Alastor had never looked so vulnerable before. “May I?”

Charlie’s lips parted in shock. He was opening up to her and she knew it was time to seal the deal and see where this went. She knew her feelings for him weren’t as deep as his feelings for her. But she wanted to make this work. Now that it was clear that Alastor was willing to work with her, she’d never felt so reassured. Sure it would take time, but it could be worth her patience in the end. Charlie knew that learning to love someone you were arranged to marry was going to be difficult, but if there was even a little bit of potential for happiness, Charlie was willing to chase it. If he didn’t care that she needed more time, she could work with that. 

With a small smile and a nod, Charlie rolled up to the balls of her feet as Alastor bent forward just enough so they could meet in the middle. As soon as their lips met, a warmth bloomed in their cores, signaling their need for more.

The kiss quickly escalated and Charlie couldn’t deny it anymore. Not while she willingly stood in his embrace. And especially not when she pulled him down closer. Or when she stood on her tiptoes just to be even a tad closer to her husband-to-be. She liked him, admittedly a little more than she expected. 

Alastor’s arms firmly wrapped themselves around Charlie’s waist and held her even closer to his body. The petite princess was nearly off the ground with how tight Alastor held her in his embrace. And suddenly, all at once relief, euphoria and possession took over his mind. If this was love, he determined that he finally knew it. But even now that the mystery had been solved, he still wanted more. More of her, more of her laughter, more of her touch. 

Little did they notice the rush of clicks coming from the bushes outside Alastor’s home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn't it be scary is Alastor could read minds?


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie and Alastor explore their relationship and discover the prying eyes of the public.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I JUST NOTICED THAT YOU GUYS CALLED THE PAPARAZZI GUY KEVIN XD   
> I love you guys so much im dyingg

“Wedding Not a Hoax? How Did the Princess of Hell Snag the Radio Demon?” Charlie read above a colored photograph of her and Alastor locking lips in a tight embrace. Had it not been for the shoddy camerawork and the window between the lens and the focus of the headlines, one could assume this photo was staged.

Alastor had brought the tabloid to her desk when he came to visit Charlie. But when he said he had something to show her, this wasn’t what she expected. She looked up to Alastor, who sat on the other side of her desk and shot him an apologetic look. “I should have known the press would be following us around.” 

Alastor merely shrugged. “I believe it was bound to happen at some point. If anything they did us a favor!” he chuckled, crossing his legs. 

Charlie sighed at his response and let her eyes wander back down to study the photo. The sight of Alastor so eagerly engaged in the kiss made Charlie’s heart explode, but the embarrassment of the situation hit her just as hard. Everyone in Hell would eventually see or hear about this photo. Most may not care, but the fact that this picture was out there still felt wrong.

Yet she couldn’t deny that the exposure would be great for their relationship’s image. This picture was practically proof that their relationship was real- or at least looked real. 

In reality their romance was still a fresh work in progress. Now that they had finally cleared the air between them, they could work on their relationship. And though they didn’t have to act as a couple in public anymore, they still had to act like seasoned lovers. Besides that bump in the road, everything else was working out smoothly. 

All they had to do now was seal the deal at the altar in five days. Maybe then they would finally uncover the mystery of this abrupt arrangement. 

Charlie sighed and opened the magazine to the article. She quickly scanned through the pitiful page-long article. For as big as their relationship seemed on the cover, there wasn’t much within the four paragraph analysis. All the columnist wrote about was how strange that their relationship seemed to come from nowhere. It only took a measly three sentences in a paragraph while the rest of the article touched on previous rumors that had surfaced since the announcement. 

As predicted, there were people who believe that Alastor was using her to get more power in the hierarchy. It was an easy rumor to go with, seeing how Alastor was a ruthless overlord without a love life to gossip over. Their relationship shouldn’t make sense seeing how different they were. 

The article was sloppy, but it was clear the media wanted a scandal. It seemed that they favored the rumor that Alastor was using her, and Charlie couldn’t let that rumor continue. 

Still, if they proved this rumor untrue, it wouldn’t be the end of the gossipmonger’s speculations. With the neverending suspicions around Alastor floating about, the media would surely try to find ways to twist their marriage however they liked. 

Alastor still appeared completely unbothered by all of this. He was the one who brought her the tabloid. He’d received it from Nifty, who pestered him about it all morning while Charlie was busy tending to her hotel duties. The little demoness tried to milk the details of the photo out of him, but he was far too engrossed in the photo on the front page.

When Alastor shooed Nifty away to look it over himself, the familiar hungry feeling completely took over. It was that exact same hungry desire he recognized whenever Charlie was around, only this time he felt his grin widen in satisfaction. 

He gazed at his focused fiancee with a content smile, admiring the determined look on her face. 

Until her lips curled downward. 

“What’s with the long face, doll?” Alastor asked, bothered by the frown on Charlie’s face. 

She looked back at him and took a breath of release. “Sure this helps our image, but the article doesn’t really help us much. I think it might make us look worse.”

“Because of some silly harebrained rumor?” he chuckled, letting his laugh track laugh along with him. “My dear, you put far too much faith in the intelligence of Hell’s populus! It may be a top story now, but it certainly will be forgotten with time. What matters here is the image! I’m sure it will be more than enough to convince those who matter.”

Charlie’s lips drew to a line as she mulled it over. “I guess you have a point. The picture sure is eye catching… And convincing.”

“And shouldn’t our goal be to make this marriage look as convincing as possible?”

“Yeah but that still doesn’t change the fact that this just feels gross…” Charlie shuddered as she tossed the magazine onto her desk. Alastor picked up the tabloid and smiled amusingly at the cover. He let a small crackling chuckle out. 

“What’s so funny?” Charlie asked.

He didn’t remove his gaze from the cover. “I was just thinking that this is a fine picture of us. I may want to save this.”

Charlie snorted. “There will be much better pictures, trust me Al. Make sure to save room for our portrait because we’re gonna need one soon,” she stood and walked around her desk to his side. She glanced down at the picture her fiancee had been admiring. “What should we do about this?”

She was closer now and his heart reacted promptly. It pounded in his chest as if he were a young boy with a silly crush, yet it left another, twisted feeling. The possessive hunger from earlier returned as he stared down their picture in the magazine. He wasn’t really focused on it anymore though. His attention was focused on his racing heart and his quickly intruding thoughts. Said thoughts were anything but pure and every bit selfish.

Alastor shook his head. He fought the bubbling urges that suddenly took root in his gut. This was neither the time nor place. He needed to keep his composure. She may not have been doing anything purposefully provocative, but it was getting increasingly difficult to keep his cool. He cleared his throat and responded. “Nothing. I think it sends a perfectly clear message.”

Charlie bent closer to give the picture another critical look. “Yeah, it does I guess.” she said casually as she placed her hands on his shoulders.

Alastor froze under Charlie’s touch. Never had anyone had such a hold on him before, both literally and figuratively. It was also getting too difficult to determine how to handle his intensifying feelings. Just yesterday she touched him and all of a sudden her touch today set him off. He wasn’t one to lose control but here he was, on the brink of giving in to his desires like he had never done before. All from one single touch.

He shook his head once more. “Yes, but not just that.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, her tone fully confused. She removed her hands from his shoulders and rolled back up straight. 

Like water breaking free from a dam, Alastor immediately craved her touch once more. He felt as if he were slipping and losing control too quickly. He wanted her touch. He wanted her gaze on him. Only on him. Only for him.

He needed more. He needed much much more.

“Would you like me to be honest, Charlie?” He asked lowly. Alastor’s sudden shift of tone took Charlie off guard. The way he asked was stiff yet slightly playfully odd. He did not look up from the magazine as he spoke either.

Charlie quirked an eyebrow and carefully but firmly asked her own question. “Didn’t we promise to be open with each other?” The room was growing in intensity. Alastor always had that effect when he got in certain moods, but Charlie couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was wrong. 

“Yes you are right. And when have I ever broken a promise to you?” he chuckled. The lack of radio static behind his voice sent chills all over her. Alastor pushed his chair back and slowly stood. The magazine dropped from his hands and fell haphazardly to his seat.

He turned toward her and leaned in to whisper in her ear before she could get a look at his face. “I’m glad that the paparazzi took this photo. Would you like to know why?” Shivers continued to shoot up Charlie’s spine as she felt his breath on the side of her neck. Warmth quickly gathered in her face and core.

The flushed demoness let out an airy breath as she slightly tilted her head away from the source of heat, exposing more of her pale neck to him. “W-why’s that?” She breathed. Alastor chuckled at her seemingly inadvertent invitation.

The next quick movement caught Charlie by surprise. With a sharp yelp, she was picked up and placed on her desk. She sat there, effectively pinned by Alastor’s hands that he’d planted firmly on either side of her. He placed himself between her parted legs and brought a hand to grasp the side of her neck in one movement. It was a firm grasp but it wasn’t enough to harm her. 

She should have been scared. After all, she was trapped like prey and completely vulnerable to the hunter before her. Maybe she was just a little, but it didn’t matter as her core began to gather heat as want and anticipation grew. She wanted- no, needed to see where this went. 

Throwing all self control he had left, Alastor leaned in close. Charlie felt his breath on her once more, eliciting a shaky breath from her lips. “Because all of Hell will know that you are mine.” he moved his free hand to her bowtie and quickly undid it. He tossed the bow aside and quickly got to work, unbuttoning the first three buttons of Charlie’s dress shirt. It was just enough for him.

Charlie brought her hand up and swiftly moved the shirt aside to reveal the skin of her throat, clavicle and shoulder. 

Eagerly, he brought his lips to kiss her jawline, to which Charlie gave way to completely expose her neck to him and invite him in further. A sigh escaped her own lips as he made his way down, leaving a trail of burning hot kisses and playful nips down her throat. She didn’t even notice how she was slightly leaning into him.

Charlie was vocal about the pleasure she felt from the caress of his lips. Her gasps and quiet moans seemed to fuel Alastor’s desire to sink his teeth in. To mark her as his and taste her.

And she wanted him to. She enjoyed rough play, and even if this was as far as Alastor would probably go, she’d be content with the feeling. His breath lingered over her chest, just between her shoulder and neck. It was hard to sit still. She just wanted him to do it already. She needed to feel his teeth sink in- to feel him mark her body.

It was until a rational thought entered her head did she snap out of her lust-fueled daze.

Just before Alastor could sink his teeth into her flesh, Charlie quickly leaned back and gently pushed Alastor away. “Ah, hold on,” she watched as he brought up his hungry gaze to her. Charlie gulped, suddenly feeling like a meal on a dinner table. “Can you wait until after the wedding? I can’t show up with marks all over me!” As much as she wanted him to, she needed to show some restraint. Her dress would partially expose her chest and shoulders. And who knew where else Alastor would move to if she let him?

“But what if I want them to see?” The hungry demon leaned forward and traced a pointed finger down Charlie’s naked neck to her shoulder. “I want them to know you’re mine, miss Magne.” the drag of his sharp nail gave Charlie pleasurable chills up her spine.

But she shook herself out of it.  _ ‘Restraint,’  _ She took a deep breath.  _ ‘Serious business. Come on Charlie.’ _

Then an idea hit her. “Okay, mister Magne. How about a deal then?” Charlie smirked as she leaned back to prop herself up with her hands on the desk. Alastor chuckled, feeling highly amused as he came down from his intense demeanor. He gave her a smug smile and allowed his trapped prey to continue. “You wait until after the wedding and you can use those pointy teeth to mark me wherever you want from here-“ she pointed at the base of her jaw and pointed downward. “-down,”

Though he wanted to mark her now, her deal was also enticing. It gave him something to look forward to and he was not opposed to it. After all, patience during the hunt only made the kill more satisfying. It would also make his dear fiancee happy, and just for that he was willing to wait.

He humorously hummed but quickly replied as if he didn’t bother to put any thought behind it. “Sounds fair to me.” he said lightheartedly as he shrugged. He began to back off to let her down from the desk top.

The blonde suddenly grabbed him by the bowtie and pulled him back close. When she blinked, the red sclera and golden irises of her demonic form made its appearance before him. “Don’t forget to seal the deal.” she smirked.

If Alastor could speak, he’d be rambling on about how beautiful she was. From her smug smirk to her brilliantly gorgeous red and golden eyes, he felt the heat of his hunger build up in his core once more. If she didn’t stop they’d be having a bit of a problem. She knew what she was doing this time and it was making it increasingly difficult to keep his hands off of her.

Charlie tugged him toward her to crash his lips against her’s. 

Though it didn’t take long to ruin the moment. 

“Hey Charlie, where’s my invita- Oh!” Angel Dust yelled. At the sound of the intruder’s voice, Charlie pushed Alastor aside and attempted to fix herself in vain. She’d been caught with her shirt unbuttoned, Alastor between her legs and their lips smashed together. It didn’t take the pornstar long to realize what they’d been doing; or what was probably going to happen from his point of view.

Before Charlie could say anything, Alastor waved his hand and the door slammed in Angel’s face. “It wasn’t my fault ya dipshits didn’t close the door in tha first place!“ the muffled protests of Angel Dust called through the door. Charlie jumped when he pounded on the wooden door. “Hey toots, I’ll come back later when you’re done fondling your hubby!” he yelled before walking off cackling.

When it was silent again, Charlie groaned and let her head fall forward onto Alastor’s shoulder.

Alastor’s laugh track sounded in the room following his own hearty laugh. “Seems we keep making ourselves a public spectacle, don’t we dear?” He picked her up from the desk, swiftly resisted the urge to keep her in his arms and carefully placed her back on her feet.

“Yeah…” Charlie sighed, feeling her face heat up. Before she could do it herself, Alastor began buttoning her shirt up for her. Charlie let him, still wrapped up in their embarrassing moment.

With a close-lipped chuckle, Alastor finished buttoning her shirt and took the previously discarded ribbon to tie her bowtie for her as well. “Would you like to go on a date with me the day after tomorrow my dear?” He said as he finished tying.

She broke out of her dismayed state and looked up at him. “A date?”

Alastor brought a hand up to comb through her bangs. “Yes! I’d like to visit a dear friend of mine and she happens to own a respectable dancing club.” he stopped once he deemed her presentable.

Charlie perked up at the word ‘friend’. Alastor didn’t have many friends, especially friends that didn’t owe him anything. It would be the perfect chance to get to know Alastor better. “Sure!” Charlie replied giddily.

Alastor chuckled, feeling his heart skip a beat in response. Enthusiasm suited her. But then again, every expression suited her. She was always radiant like the sun, no matter what she did. “Wonderful! I’m sure you’ll love her!”

_ ‘She.’ _ Charlie repeated in her thoughts. The thought came with an unpleasant bite that was whisked away as soon as Alastor continued. 

“Yes, Mimzy’s establishment is quite popular, not only can we use this date to help solidify our relationship’s image,” he paused and took Charlie’s hand to spin her into his arms. “I get to see you back in action. Don’t think I’d forgotten how lovely of a dancer you are my dear!”


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor introduces Charlie to Mimzy. Mimzy has a surprise for the both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey there! I'm gonna be collecting all the fanart for this fic and putting all the links I can find on the wedding chapter! I want to thank everyone for the amazing fanart, I've never received fanart on any fic I've ever done in the past. Yall don't know how much I appreciate all of you for even taking the time to read my fic let alone make content for it, I've never been so blown away before! 
> 
> Thank you all for reading my fic! I hope you enjoy these next chapters all the way up to the end!
> 
> This chapter was written for Charlastor Week Day 5: Date

“Mimzy my dear! It certainly has been far too long!”

“‘Far too long’ my ass, Alastor!” A shrill voice greeted them at the door, halting the approaching pair. “Ya know you can call ya jerk! I haven’t heard from ya in ages and now I hear you’re gettin’ married? Why I’d never!” The short woman huffed and pouted as she stuck her hands to her hips, looking like a disapproving mother. Alastor didn’t seem to react to Mimzy’s outburst while Charlie tensed, unsure if she should speak up. She had no clue if she should interject or allow the two to duke it out themselves.

Luckily for Charlie, Alastor butt in with a chuckle. “Apologies Mimzy,” he bent down slightly before continuing, “If it makes you feel any better, you’re invited to come to the wedding.” He materialized an intricately decorated envelope with a gesture and waved it around like a bribe in front of her.

She immediately snatched the envelope from him and stuffed it into the front of her dress. “Well I damn well hope I am!” She huffed. The short woman then turned her attention to Charlie. Like a switch, her demeanor changed instantly. Instead of the frown she greeted them with, her smile shone bright for Charlie. “You must be princess Charlotte!” She squealed, taking Charlie’s hands in her’s. “It’s nice to finally meet ya!”

Charlie’s nerves melted away with Mimzy’s warm greeting. She smiled back at the shorter demoness with an equally bright smile and giggled, “Please call me Charlie! It’s so nice to meet you too Mimzy!”

Before his friend could reply, Alastor cleared his throat to garner their attention back to him. “Shall we continue this elsewhere?”

“Oh, right! I reserved the best seats in the house for ya!” Mimzy turned and pulled Charlie by the hand to the party’s table, rambling on about how thoughtless Alastor was as if Charlie were already a close friend. Although caught completely off guard, Charlie smiled, relieved that her first meeting with Mimzy was already going so well. Being one of Alastor’s friends, the demoness had no clue what to expect.

Remembering the man she’d come with, Charlie turned her head to smile excitedly at Alastor, who casually trailed behind the pair with his hands behind his back.

He winked back, making Charlie giggle and thus adding a little hop to his step. It still bewildered him with what little she had to do to make him feel something other than murderous bemusement. Just a simple little smile shot his way and he felt like his heart was melting. 

It was refreshing, terrifying and wonderful all at once. 

The trio made it to the table after a short trek through the club. Mimzy was right, they did have the best seats in the house. Not only were they close to the dance floor, they also had the best view of the stage, where a band was already in the middle of their set. After being seated, their gracious host left for a moment to take care of house business.

“Mimzy’s seems to have taken a liking to you.” Alastor said, setting his menu aside. 

Charlie chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, I guess I was worried about nothing after all!” She placed her menu aside as well to fold her hands on the table in front of her. “And you guys seem pretty close. I’ve never seen anyone speak that way to you and live!”

Alastor laughed along with his laugh track. “Yes, well Mimzy and I are old friends,” he paused and thought about it for a moment, as if he were counting the time that’s passed. “My oldest friend actually! My, it’s been a century now hasn’t it?” he exclaimed, chucking once more.

Charlie hummed in response, attempting to do the math in her head herself. Though it was difficult considering the catchy jazz music and her incredibly handsome date before her. 

Mimzy joined them at their table shortly after and spoke for a while, relaying how she’d been doing to the pair. Alastor briefly explained how he and Charlie met and spoke even briefer on their relationship, passing it off as if they’d been together a lot longer than they’d actually been. Charlie had been so caught up in her budding relationship and the upcoming wedding that she nearly forgot that they had appearances to keep up. Not that it was too difficult to keep at this point considering how well they were doing already. 

Then Alastor suddenly stood. “Ah, give me a moment. I’ll be right back!” Alastor leaned over and kissed Charlie’s cheek.

Charlie didn’t know where he was going but before she could watch to see where we was heading, Mimzy spoke up.

“Well I’ll be damned. I’ve never seen him like this.” she chuckled before whistling.

Charlie turned her full attention back to the flapper before her. “Huh?”

“I knew him in life ya know. He’s never batted an eye for a broad ever,” she took a sip of her drink before taking a drag from her cigarette holder. She leaned in close to Charlie after letting a long puff of smoke out. “I think he’s serious about ya sweet cheeks.” Mimzy smirked as she watched a blush bloom past the red spots on the princess’ cheeks.

Charlie didn’t know how to respond other than a shaky, “R-really?” Her heart felt like it was beating out of her chest. She knew Alastor “loved” her- or at least liked her enough to give a real relationship a try. 

She should have been relieved or honored, even. But for some reason only her worst thoughts began circling her mind. She knew Alastor didn’t understand what love was and probably never had relationship experience in the past. But somehow having her suspicions confirmed concerned her a bit.

What she hadn’t considered was if their relationship was a totally serious thing for him. For all she knew, this could just be a little stint.

_ ‘What if he’s not actually feeling love? What if it's just infatuation? If he is, he’ll get bored of me and this whole thing could fall apart… Could he be lying about what he feels? No… I felt it…’ _ Her stomach dropped and her heart tensed. Suddenly every terrible scenario relentlessly ran through Charlie’s head. She couldn’t go through this song and dance again. Not after the last man that said he loved her tried to use and break her for his own gain.

“Really! Back in the day he’d show up for my shows whenever we were in the same place. Women would throw themselves at ‘im left n’ right and he’d brush ‘em off each time!” Mimzy scoot closer to Charlie, nudging her with her bony elbow. “Some real beauties too. Hell even I had the hots for him at one point!” She let out a nasally cackle before continuing, “Ah yeah, he never had an interest in any broad. ‘S why I’m so surprised to see how lovey dovey he is with ya. And when I saw the paper the otha’ day, good golly, I never thought I’d see the day Alastor would want to kiss a woman!” Charlie could have sworn Mimzy never took a breath as she spoke ecstatically about Alastor’s emotional deficit.

“I see…” Charlie trailed off, still trying to fully process Mimzy’s words. She remembered the picture on the tabloid and let it hit her like a ton of bricks. _ ‘Did I really take Alastor’s first kiss?!’ _

Noticing the shift in the air, Mimzy waved Charlie’s thoughts off. “Yeah… Well never mind him. Tell me about that hotel ya run.”

Charlie eventually relaxed as she spoke to the spunky club owner about the Happy Hotel. Being business runners, they related to each other fairly well considering how different their establishments were. And getting her mind off of Alastor helped calm her nerves to work up the courage to ask her newest friend about her mysterious fiancee.

“Hey Mimzy, can I ask you some questions about him?”

Mimzy shrugged and leaned in with her drink in hand, suddenly very interested. “Sure babe, lay ‘em on me.”

“How did you meet him?”

“I was invited to sing live at his radio station once. We bumped into each otha’ and he told me that he loved my work. See, I was a traveling performer back then. So I’d see him every once and a while before I finally settled down in New Orleans and worked clubs. After a while we bumped into each otha’ again and we’ve been friends ever since.” she recited as she looked around for the man. 

Charlie lit up and propped her elbow on the table to rest her cheek in her palm. “Oh wow! Not that I’m surprised, but he never told me he actually worked in radio when he was alive!” She really should have guessed his living profession from his radio-centered persona. Then again, he wasn’t a traditional radio host in Hell. He’d only been using his radio broadcasting abilities to broadcast his carnage after all. 

_ ‘Maybe he should try getting back into radio hosting.’  _ Charlie thought, feeling that getting back into his old profession would provide him an adequate distraction. 

“Yeah but as much as he likes ya I’m sure he’d rather keep some of his history to himself. He never liked talking about himself. But you should ask him about it sometime.”

“Ask me what?” Alastor asked, appearing between the two ladies and effectively startling the pair. 

Charlie breathed a sigh of relief once she realized it was her fiancee. She turned to him and shook her head, attempting to look as if they weren’t talking about him behind his back. “Oh! Nothing! Where did you go?”

He didn’t seem to pay what Mimzy said any mind as he chuckled. “Sorry to startle you dear, just getting things ready.”

With a quirked brow, Charlie sat up. “Getting what ready?”

The quiet jazzy music suddenly began picking up. The music quickly attracted patrons to the floor as quickly as the beat picked up. Alastor looked to Mimzy and winked before pulling Charlie up from her seat, leading her straight to the dance floor. Charlie yelped in surprise but began giggling as soon as Alastor got her to the center floor. He pulled her into his arms and spun her out, immediately jumping into what Charlie recognized as the Lindy Hop, a dance she hadn’t seen in ages.

Though it’s been decades since she’d last danced this particular dance, she managed to get back into the intensely energetic dance immediately. “It’s been decades since I’ve danced like this!” she shouted to him over the live band. 

Alastor heartily laughed and after a few spins and kicks, he brought her in and replied, “Well you dance beautifully darling!” before spinning her back out. Without even knowing it, they’d taken over the center of the room, forcing patrons to move away from their barrage of kicks and spins. 

From afar, Mimzy sat alone and sighed while sipping her cocktail. “‘Bout time ya smiled for real ya bozo.” she hicced, feeling the effects of her special cocktail kick in. She watched the pair dance with a bittersweet smile.

It was true that she loved Alastor. At first it was infatuation. After all he was charming, charismatic and exciting even in life. But over time and several rejections, Mimzy realized that maybe Alastor just wasn’t into love. Under that false unfaltering smile, he was a cold man. He never showed any interest in anybody ever. He never willingly walked around with a woman on his arm nor did he spend more than a few minutes talking to one. The stout demoness thought that maybe he was incapable of loving another.

That is, until tonight. Seeing how genuinely happy he seemed with the demon princess in his arms was a sight she’d never seen before. After nearly a century, she was finally proven wrong. And part of her hurt, but the other part was happy. Her lifelong friend finally found someone to melt his frozen heart. And he looked so genuinely happy about it too. 

Deciding that she’d moped for long enough, Mimzy stood from her seat. “Come on gal, get your shit together!” She slapped her cheeks and walked up toward the stage. There was something she needed to do. For both their sakes. 

She thought over her gameplan as she waited backstage for the band to finish their time slot. She already discussed her plan with the next band who were eager to comply with a little cash incentive. 

In the meantime, she peeked through the curtains to make sure her special guests were still enjoying themselves. She nearly guffawed seeing how they’d managed to create a boundary around them. Wherever they moved, the dancers around them moved away in fear of collision. Neither seemed to have noticed that they’d been doing it either. They were completely lost in their own little world and Mimzy couldn’t have been more elated to see it. 

Once the last song finished up and the band packed, Mimzy quickly made her way up to the mic with a different band quickly setting up behind her.

Mimzy thought of Charlie and how insecure she looked. Working in show business for so long, she’d seen it on plenty of broads before. The insecurity, the questioning, the painful thoughts, it was always because of some damn man. And unfortunately for the princess, her man wasn’t the most expressive or emotionally literate.  _ ‘I’m gonna make sure she knows just how bad ya got it Al.’ _

Clearing her throat, Mimzy put on her most dazzling smile and tapped the mic. “Good evening everyone!” She called out from the stage. The room paused, the only sounds came from chatter and the band warming up with their instruments behind her. “I’d like to take a moment to congratulate my two very special guests! They’re getting hitched folks!” She snapped her fingers and nearly all of the lights in the club went out. A moment later, a single spotlight shone on said special guests.

Charlie and Alastor froze, both dismayed by Mimzy’s action. Though they couldn’t see those around them due to the intensity of the spotlight, they could hear the whispers of the other patrons around them.

“Holy shit is that the Radio Demon and that princess?”

“Yeah it’s really them!”

“What’re they doin’ here?”

“Oh yeah they’re gettin’ married or some shit right?”

“Yeah I saw it on 666! The hell are they doin’ here?”

“It’s gotta be fake, there’s no way in Hell anyone would want the baggage.”

“Heh, I bet he’s marrying in for the power. It’s the Radio Demon we’re talking about here.”

Charlie tensed at the gossip. She should have been used to the whispers she’d heard about her by now, after all they’ve always followed wherever she went. But it didn’t matter how long she lived with the gossip, the bitter words of her people never failed to make her feel small and remind her of her failures. 

But then a hand grabbed her own and held it firmly, directing her attention away from the crowd. 

She looked up at Alastor, who had relaxed by now. He even seemed amused by the situation, as if he somehow expected something like this to happen. He looked back down at Charlie and smiled reassuringly. “Mimzy’s a dramatic. Especially once you get a little alcohol in her,” He glanced out into the whispering crowd, causing an immediate silence around them. Charlie couldn’t see his face, but once he turned back to her his expression softened. “Don’t pay the rabble any mind my dear. Let’s just enjoy the night.” he said, taking Charlie’s other hand in his, reminding her once more that she wasn’t alone under the spotlight this time. 

Charlie’s heart stopped and suddenly it was as if they were the only two people in the room, if just for the moment. 

“Hey you two lovebirds!” Mimzy called from the stage, catching both of their attentions. “This one’s for you!” She giggled and snapped her fingers again. This time, the new band began playing.

Mimzy closed her eyes and swayed to the soft brass notes for a few seconds, hypnotizing the crowd. Within the short few seconds, Mimzy managed to calm the crowd before taking a deep breath. 

_ “Everybody loves somebody, sometime _

_ Everybody falls in love somehow _

_ Something in your kiss just told me _

_ My sometime is now” _

Mimzy’s voice echoed the club. Alastor seemed to perk up when he realized which song she was singing and suddenly started to feel strange. His heart began to race and he needed to actively keep his cool. He knew exactly what she was doing. 

_ ‘Mimzy, you devil.’ _

Judging from Alastor’s odd reaction, Charlie felt as though this song probably meant something to him. What could stun the Radio Demon this way? The lyrics maybe? She listened carefully to the song all while watching Alastor’s unsettling expression. 

_ “Everybody finds somebody, someplace _

_ There’s no telling where love may appear” _

_ ‘Oh!’ _ she thought, remembering back to what Mimzy said earlier.  _ ‘I knew him in life ya know. He’s never bat an eye for a broad ever. I think he’s serious about ya.’ _ Her rosy cheeks were set alight once more at the memory. Mimzy was definitely putting him on the spot. 

“Alastor,” she said, instantly grabbing his attention. He looked like a deer in headlights, very obviously feeling something unpleasant within him. Charlie smiled up at him while squeezing his hands reassuringly. “Let’s enjoy the night like it’s just the two of us.” 

And there was the smile that melted his heart and all his worries away. He nodded, relaxing into her touch. 

“ _ Something in my heart keeps saying _

_ “My someplace is here”” _

Alastor brought Charlie’s hands up to wrap around his neck before bringing his own to wrap around her waist, keeping her just a hair short of being chest-to-chest.

_ “If I had it in my power _

_ I’d arrange for every girl to have your charms _

_ Then every minute, every hour _

_ Every boy would find what I’ve found in your arms _

_ Everybody loves somebody, sometime _

_ And although my dream was overdue _

_ Your love made it well worth waiting _

_ For someone like you” _

Had he really waited his whole life- and death to meet the woman in his arms? 

She made him feel warmth he’d never known before. She gave him belonging with each touch, warmth with each smile, affirmation with each kiss, it was all too much for him to bear, but he still somehow longed for an eternity of this overwhelming feeling. 

_ “Everybody loves somebody, sometime _

_ And although my dream was overdue _

_ Your love made it well worth waiting _

_ For someone like you” _

The rest of the night flew by and Charlie had so much fun that she’d nearly forgotten all about her pent up insecurities. It wasn’t until they bid their farewells to Mimzy and made it back to their awaiting limousine did the thoughts begin to creep back into Charlie’s head.

Whether it was the alcohol or adrenaline building her confidence, Charlie refused to let her insecurities eat at her this time.  _ ‘We promised to be open with each other.’  _ She reassured herself.  _ ‘Communication is key.’ _

The liquid courage that remained in her system tore down her inhibitions, leaving her thoughts burning a hole through her tongue, begging to be released. As soon as they were alone in the limousine and settled next to each other, Charlie took a deep breath and spoke up. “Hey Al, I know we talked about it before, but is it true that you’ve never fallen in love before? Not even in life?”

He looked down at her, taken aback and shot her a confused look. “I’ve never had an inkling of interest in anyone until now if that is what you’re asking. Why do you ask?”

The demoness brought her lips shut, wanting to let it all out, but failing to even form the words. Looking directly at him didn’t help either.

Maybe she really was overreacting. This was his first- and presumably last- romantic relationship.

“…Just wondering.” Charlie sighed as she slipped her hand into his, attempting to reassure herself. She let her head drop onto his shoulder and to her surprise, he didn’t flinch like he had when she’d touched him suddenly before. Instead, he squeezed their interlaced fingers and ran his thumb over her own.

Charlie looked out the window to distract herself with Hell’s passing scenery. Sure there wasn’t much good to look at, but if it helped pass the time then it could work for her. “If you have to wonder then I must not be very convincing,” he chuckled lowly, which Charlie felt reverberate through his body like a hum. “If you doubt my intentions in any way, tell me how I may rectify your unease.”

She thought for a moment. There really wasn’t anything he could do to immediately remedy her concerns, but Charlie certainly was touched by the lighthearted gesture.

Charlie’s head rose from his bony shoulder and gazed up at him with a firm look. “Kiss me.” Her cheeks reddened, but her look was unwavering and confident, keeping the same energy as when she made a ‘deal’ with him the other day.

Alastor chuckled with genuine amusement. He adored her reactions and how easily they changed. She was like an open book, but he found that to be her strength oddly enough. She was so open and honest with her feelings, Alastor secretly envied her for it. How could she make such bold requests one moment and show embarrassment the next? How could she be so open with each of her feelings yet look so bold and strong for it? How could she not hide behind a smile when this world was always against her?

And why was he so ready to give his everything to her? 

He turned his body toward his stiffened fiancee and cupped her cheek to get her focused on him. He wanted to look into her eyes and make sure she knew exactly what she meant to him.

“Anything for you, my love.”

Her pale yellow eyes widened at the words “my love”. But before she could stop to fully comprehend his choice of words, his lips softly pressed against her’s. Charlie felt sharp claws teasingly graze down her exposed arms. She shuddered once they stopped to make their way around her waist. 

The kiss broke for a breath’s moment. A sharp tug around Charlie’s waist and a gasp had her pulled onto Alastor’s lap. Immediately, Alastor crashed his lips back onto the demoness’ lips with the need to feel more of her and her warmth and excitement.

Charlie replied eagerly by holding him as close as possible with her arms wrapped around his neck. Though he didn’t say the exact words, Charlie knew exactly what he really meant. If that was the case, Charlie didn’t want to deny him. 

For the first time, their kiss truly deepened when Charlie opened her mouth to let him explore clumsily. She was shocked that he’d continue this way, but she wasn’t complaining as long as he was as eager as she was. She wanted to continue. She wanted more- more of him and his love. 

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovebirds are exploring each other and we're getting closer to the wedding! Here's what Mimzy was singing: https://youtu.be/TV4TKjEkXWI 
> 
> BTW if you've never seen the Lindy Hop before, it was developed and popularized by the African-American community in Harlem in the 1920s. It was inspired by other dances like the Charleston and it's one hell of an energetic dance! If you see it in a casual setting it's a bit more toned down but still high energy. But in competitions it can get WILD like back breaking if you mess up kinda wild. Luckily this is a casual setting with a crowd so Alastor wouldn't toss Charlie around and break her back lol


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alastor needs help and Angel has a surprise for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So coming back to Ao3 to update this fic I noticed that WE'RE NEARING 10,000 HITS??? I've never had so many hits before and I'm kinda freaking out about it right now as I type this?!??! I honestly don't know what to say other than thank you! 
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading and supporting my fic!

Alastor couldn’t sleep. Though sleep was sparse on him, nothing had ever kept him up quite like this before. He felt too many things for comfort on top of his general discomfort and he didn’t like it one bit. 

Charlie- his Charlie- the woman who made him feel all sorts of things has now given him an uneasy mix of feelings to work out. He instinctively wanted to blame her for the discomfort. He wanted to cast the discomfort away with her and have nothing to do with her anymore. 

But even in his wicked heart, he knew he couldn’t. None of it was her fault in the slightest and he didn’t know how to deal with it. 

* * *

When they arrived at the hotel after their date, Alastor escorted her back to her room. Stopping in front of her bedroom door, Alastor noticed that the look in her eyes were different. He brushed it off, thinking it was just fatigue tricking his eyes and bent down to kiss her. He planned to kiss her goodnight and go home, until she pulled him into her room by the collar and slammed the door behind her.

It was at that moment the odd feeling had started. His heart raced in anticipation while a fire lit up his core. 

It didn’t make any sense seeing that he’d been in her room plenty of times before and had even slept there for a night. He never once bat an eye about it, but this time it felt different. 

While their kiss in the limousine became heated, this kiss was different. Her hands moved and she pressed herself against him this time. Her fingers roamed down his chest, sending sparking chills up his spine. It was a foreign feeling he wasn’t used to and while he didn’t particularly dislike it, he still wasn’t sure about the warming sensation it gave him. 

But when her hands suddenly inched lower and lower, something triggered inside him, causing him to pull away from her.

“A-Al are you okay?” Charlie asked, shoulders tensed and hands stilled.

Realizing what he’d done, Alastor cleared his throat and chuckled. “Oh yes, I just forgot that although I’m not exactly living, I still need to breathe is all! I may also need to get going and get some rest. Why, I’m absolutely shocked that you still have so much energy my dear!” he droned, laughing it all off. 

Then she smiled in relief, bringing her hands up to cup either side of his cheeks. Her gaze softened with a smile that made his heart ache and his own expression soften.

It had been a self learning experience for Alastor. He knew long ago he had a soft spot for the little demoness before he realized his attraction to her, but never had he craved her more until he actually felt her touch or her reciprocated affections. Though he was usually unsure of the new touches, he found that this particular grasp was one he enjoyed.

He absentmindedly leaned into her palms as she spoke. “If you say so,” she reached up and quickly pecked him on the lips with a softened smile. When she retracted and released him, he found himself missing her touch, but also felt relief from the awkward situation. “Goodnight Al. Just ask Razzle and Dazzle to bring you home, okay?”

He plastered on his usual grin to assure her. “Of course my dear,” he reached down and took her hand in his to place a chaste kiss to her knuckles. “I will see you in the morning I’m sure. Sleep well.” He gingerly released her hand from his and watched as her now-reddened face disappeared behind her door, eliciting an amused chuckle from him.

He made his way back down to the front door, heart feeling fuller than ever before, but still with a sort of weight attached to it. Despite his best efforts, it wouldn’t lay down and die. Instead it hung over him like a rotting fish stinking up the room.

Charlie brought him a sort of joy and entertainment, that he was certain of. Her presence lit up his day and he’d come to terms with this feeling of love fairly quickly. However the fact remained that he was truly unfamiliar with relationships. He knew the sorts of things couples would do in this day and age, but the thought of it- even with the one woman he’d allow to touch him- still didn’t sit right. He felt a sort of itch just thinking about it.

It didn’t make sense to him. Just yesterday he was comfortable enough to touch her bare skin below her neck, but tonight he was as skittish as a frightened puppy when she touched him over his clothes. Granted he didn’t expect her to make it so low, but the fact that it bothered him was concerning enough. He shouldn’t be this uncomfortable with the woman he was going to marry. Especially not with a woman he genuinely cared about.

And now he lay in bed, worried about another’s expectations for the first time since he could remember. Charlie wasn’t like him as far as he knew. What if he couldn’t give her what she wanted?

He reasoned that Charlie wouldn’t judge him, she wasn’t a selfish being after all. She’d understand… right? The fact that he didn’t know much about the needs of the body kept him from deciding in confidence. And that was what kept him up. He couldn’t be too sure. 

He thought of just asking her about his predicament. The princess had been around longer than he, maybe this was something she knew about. Maybe whatever he was feeling, it could be fixed somehow? He’d have to ask her the next time he saw her, but how should he even bring it up was another question. 

* * *

Without a wink of sleep, Alastor made his way back to the hotel to speak to his fiancee. However despite the time he’d been there, he didn’t make the effort to find or greet her. Instead he roamed the expansive halls of the Happy Hotel, carefully planning his approach.

The halls were silent enough for him to think while also being expansive enough to avoid Charlie. Without a soul in sight he could plot and prepare in peace. 

“Hey smiles! I got something for ya!”

The much too familiar voice of the hotel’s infamous Angel Dust caught Alastor’s attention immediately. Stopping in place, Alastor perked up. 

_‘Of course! A sexual deviant is precisely what I need!’_

Alastor whipped his head around with enthusiasm, startling the other demon behind him. “And what would that be?”

* * *

What Angel “had” for him was unexpected. He explained that they had to go out and had convinced Alastor that Husk had to come with them. Without much else to do, the deer demon agreed and dragged Husk all the way to a seedy bar a ways away from the hotel.

Once they settled in, Alastor knew exactly what this was about. It was his bachelor’s party. It was a pitiful excuse of a bachelor’s party, but still a bachelor’s party nonetheless. Alastor certainly hadn’t expected nor needed this and was even more surprised that Angel hadn’t brought him to a sketchy strip club. Though he reasoned that this place might as well be one with the scantily-clad patrons and bass-heavy music. He still questioned the need to go to a bar when the hotel had a fully functional bar in the lobby. 

When Alastor looked up, he realized why this was. They’d only been there for ten minutes and their resident bartender, Husk was already passed out in his seat after ordering a bottle of Everclear for himself. It took more than a few gulps to get the man snoring. Knowing Husker, Alastor mused that the cat would have done the exact same thing at the hotel, only he would down more of the hotel’s stock. 

Angel sat beside the obviously annoyed deer demon. He already downed a couple of shots to try to even speak to Alastor, who’d seem to have been brooding over something he gazed into his own drink. 

“Ya know, tonight’s your last night a free man, what’s got ya all worked up?”

“Angel I will be always be a free man-“

“Not when ya get married ya won’t!”

Alastor looked at his companion and cocked an eyebrow. “And why’s that?”

Angel sputtered, attempting to formulate a cohesive answer. When he failed to find a reason, his shoulders slumped in defeat and shrugged. “I dunno! It’s just what people say!” He huffed before sipping on his cocktail.

Alastor hummed and looked down at his own drink, swirling the whiskey around the frozen cubes.

“You’ve never been married, Angel?”

This time Angel cocked his brow, surprised at the question. “Nah, never got the chance. But can’t say I was too interested either.”

“Hm,” He paused for a moment, wondering if he was truly asking the right person. But Angel was the only sex expert he knew. “Unfortunate. You know it’s never too late.”

“Eh. I dunno, Hell ain’t really built for love and romance,” Angel paused and watched Alastor down his drink. “Wow, you in a rush or somethin’? Lemme get the-”

Alastor raised his hand and snapped his fingers, instantly refilling his drink with a summoned bottle of whiskey. “As much as I’d rather not be here, I do need to talk to you about something important. And I would rather Charlie not hear about it.” he said, ignoring Angel’s pout. 

“Why? Are ya gettin’ cold feet?”

Alastor huffed a chuckle. “Something like that, I suppose,” 

Angel visibly froze, watching the man stare down at his drink.

“Not about Charlie though. No, I’ve never been so sure about anything since I found entertainment in murder,” he lulled his head to the side, the previous drinks he’d downed taking hold of him. He chuckled and brought the glass to his lips before clumsily downing the contents, somehow keeping the liquid and ice within the glass. He let the glass drop to the table in front of him with a dull thud and continued, “Thinking back to what you said earlier, Angel… Charlie is-“

With four waving hands and a blaring groan over the bar’s beat-heavy music, Angel cut off Alastor abruptly. “Okay, alright, stop. I don’t need ya goin’ off about her. I’ve been watchin’ how ya look at her the past few months and seein’ ya all gross in her office was cute n’ all but that’s enough nasty for me.”

“So you knew.”

Angel scoffed and crossed his arms. “Of course I did! For a while I thought you were tryna eat her or something. After watchin’ ya watch her for a while I realized how soft you really were for her.” Angel paused and elbowed the inebriated overlord with a chuckle. Alastor shot the chuckling spider a threatening look through his widened smile, prompting Angel to back off enough to give the man some space.

Once he was satisfied with the space between him and his companion, Alastor thought about it for a moment. He did end up wanting to be around Charlie more often when he realized how hard and uneven his heartbeat was around her. “I suppose I might have been a bit obvious now that I think about it. Had she been anyone else with her business venture I probably would have crushed them and their pitiful dreams by now,” Angel’s grin gradually morphed into an uncomfortable grimace, a much more familiar and comfortable sight to Alastor. Content with Angel’s expression, Alastor continued with a neutral smile on his face, “I don’t normally have the patience for long games. But when I do, it’s delicious seeing the despair, desperation and looks of pained betrayal on their faces.”

“Okay that’s fucking creepy.”

Alastor chuckled and leaned back into his seat. “You brought up my intentions my dear idiot.”

Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. He knew arguing with the Radio Demon would only get him skewered so he groaned in defeat. “Alright, alright fine.” he downed the cocktail in one of his many hands and frowned before turning to look at Husk, who was still snoring in his seat. He even thought about moving over there to get away from the tipsy demon beside him. 

This was easily the worst bachelor party he’d ever been to. Not that he’s attended many, but he’d worked a ton of them. They were always full of hookers, booze and blow to keep the party alive and kicking. Though they only really had one of those, it felt more like a funeral than a party. And it didn’t help that Husk looked like a dead cat on the side of the road.

But then he remembered what Alastor had failed to answer earlier. It was innocent enough and Alastor seemed to want to ask him something anyway. He didn’t really care what he wanted, but there wasn’t much else to do anyway. Plus getting on the man’s good side was better than being on his shit list, so if he could do anything to help the dangerous demon, Angel would be eager to please.

The spider whipped his head back to the man beside him. “Ya never answered my question. So if ya ain’t gettin’ cold feet cuz of Charlie, what’s got you bugged?”

Alastor already had a new drink in hand; no doubt pulled out of thin air. He spoke up with a noticeably less filtered voice. “What has me ‘bugged’ is what she expects of me and what I can’t give her.” He slurred. Alastor was definitely losing all control and inhibitions quickly seeing how he couldn’t come up with anything witty or vaguely insulting. He was fully out in the open for Angel and it didn’t feel like him.

Angel thought about his words for a moment. “What ya’ can’t give her?” He asked, thinking what it could mean through the slight haze in his mind. Alastor didn’t respond and only stared at his cup once more as if it were the only thing anchoring his thoughts. “Like a kid or something?”

Alastor didn’t respond, which seemed to confirm his suspicions. “Well shit. I dunno how that shit works here. But with your magic stuff-”

“It’s not just that.”

“Then-“ Angel suddenly perked up, realizing what exactly he meant. “-Ohhhhh! Oh shit. Yeah you’re fucked.”

“The exact opposite actually.” he chuckled weakly at his own weak joke. His radio audience booed in response. Angel nearly joined in at the awful joke. 

“Yeah ya dick’s broken, I forgot. But that’s what ya troubled? Oh sweetie,” he scooted closer to his inebriated seat mate and moved to wrap a slender arm around him. However Alastor was quicker and managed to teleport next to Husk, who then ungracefully slumped to the floor with a thud. The pair looked down to the still motionless cat demon for a moment before staring back at each other.

“So what are ya scared of? When she wants some action, tell her ya can’t perform,” Angel smirked and crossed his arms, clearly amused by Alastor’s issues.

Alastor still looked unsure with his eyebrows knit together over his unstable wide grin. Angel knew he was a careful man, extremely selective of what parts of himself he showed to others. He always presented himself as overly confident, powerful and a being worthy of fear. Tonight however, he was beginning to look almost vulnerable. If he was slipping this bad, he must be truly troubled- or drunk.

He let out a long breath before praying to something that this would work, or else he might off himself with the painfully awkward situation. “Don’t worry babe, little miss Magne’s made of love n’ all that gross stuff. I don’t think she could ever turn ya down for small shit like that. I know she likes you for you and not for ya… non-existent ass.”

Though he wasn’t sure that it was because of the alcohol quickly taking over, Alastor admitted that Angel had a point. If she could understand and accept the porn actor in front of him, what would stop her from accepting him for him? 

“As much as I hate to admit it, maybe you’re right.”

“Of course I… am…. Wait did you say I was right?“

Like a switch, Alastor’s smile widened and he was suddenly back to his creepily chipper self. Angel heard the applause of the radio host’s in-home audience cheer as he stood. With a dramatic flourish, Alastor threw his hands out and began to laugh maniacally. 

Angel looked down to the empty glass that Alastor had been cradling. He wasn’t sure how many glasses the bachelor had downed, but one thing was certain. _‘He’s fucking shitfaced.’_

The drunk demon bent forward, getting in Angel’s face to grab his attention. “Of all the filth in this cesspool, Charlie would certainly be the only one to understand! I don’t know why I was even concerned in the first place! Why she is just the-“

“Oh god dammit!” Angel snapped, hurling the dainty martini glass in his hands to the floor with a loud _crash_. With a groan, Angel looked down toward Husk cuddling his bottle of Everclear and glanced over to the clear bottle of vodka on the table. He’d already tuned out Alastor’s drunken monologue by the time he reached out to the half-empty bottle of vodka on the table between them.

_‘Maybe Husk had the right idea after all.’_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Luck Angel lol
> 
> Thank you all so much for reading!


	15. Chapter 15

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charlie realizes she messed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off I wanna say THANK YOU ALL FOR READING! We've reaching 10,000 hits and I'm still mind blown that people read my fic ^.^' 
> 
> Thank you all for your comments and support <3
> 
> I've been trying to reply to each comment nowadays since I was kinda scared to before ^.^' I love seeing what you guys have to say about my fic, whether it be a critique, a question or praise I love it! 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!

She’d just finished scrubbing the taste of alcohol from her mouth when Charlie began hobbling over to her beckoning bed, nearly tripping over the dress she discarded earlier. 

Despite the painful throb of her bare overworked feet, she couldn’t help the lighthearted hum of catchy brass band melodies that escaped her throat. If she weren’t so sleepy and exhausted she would have danced around the room all night and into the morning. 

Once she reached her bed, Charlie unceremoniously fell face first into the covers, immediately sighing in relief for her aching feet. She groaned and stretched her legs to ease the throbbing while slipping herself under the covers. With a smile, another slightly more contented sigh left her lips once she settled in and closed her eyes.

But even through physical exhaustion her mind began to wander. And it wandered back to him- to Alastor.

She danced the night away with Alastor to the point where her feet felt painfully numb. But as much as her feet ached, It was worth every spin, sway and kick. With a night full of good music, dancing and good company, Charlie couldn’t wait to go back to Mimzy’s club with Alastor.

_ ‘My love.’ _

Her eyes widened at the sudden intrusive thought and silently screamed into the covers over her face. “Why are you thinking about that now?”

Charlie’s heart raced, heating up her body under the stuffy covers. If she looked at herself now, she’d probably find her face as red as an apple.

Why did she go red so easily at the thought of him? 

A pang of guilt hit her pounding heart hard. She just jumped out of a relationship and broke Vaggie’s heart. And whatever she had with Alastor, it wasn’t completely natural.

Still, it felt nice to be loved by someone again. And a twisted part of Charlie felt especially special for Alastor’s exclusive feelings toward her.

It didn’t sit right. Charlie brought her hands to her reddened face and smacked her cheeks, attempting to expel all thoughts out of her head.

Unfortunately for her, her efforts were futile. In fact it only seemed to do the exact opposite. The more she slapped herself, the more her thoughts were overwhelmed with the man as if her brain was actively working against her.

When did this start? In one moment he was just a business partner in her eyes, or even a weird kind of friend. But like a switch, everything had changed. 

It seemed to be the same for Alastor as well. Just two weeks ago it seemed like he was just marrying her for fun. He didn’t fully understand what love was, but he undoubtedly showed all the signs. It didn’t seem like he was acting when he smiled softly just for her nor when he kissed her with so much passion and possession. 

No, it couldn’t have been acting. It was clear that he was in love with her, but for how long now, she couldn’t guess. It was possible that his feelings for her had been going on longer than either of them knew.

But she was not quite there with him just yet. She couldn’t shake off the fact that their relationship only happened because of this arranged marriage. And as much as she had been optimistic about it, she was still frustrated with the fact that she didn’t choose this for herself and had to leave Vaggie for it.

Luckily she and Vaggie were best friends before their relationship, but it still hurt to leave someone she still loved. 

Thankfully for the both of them, Vaggie seemed to be doing much better and had already began moving on. It still wasn’t perfect between them, but she noted how happy Vaggie seemed to be since Angel had been taking her out places. When this friendship began to develop and where they were going, Charlie could only guess. She’d been busy enough with everything going on. Once everything calmed down, she could spend more time talking to Vaggie and make sure she’s doing alright. 

_ ‘Maybe she’s already found someone else.’ _

As uptight as Vaggie was, she could be a wonderful and loving person. It wouldn’t be hard for her to find someone new if she tried. She only hoped that Vaggie could find another woman with less baggage than her. Maybe someone without royal duties to slow her down and get in her way.

As for Alastor, she could no longer deny the growing feelings she had for him. They weren’t as strong as the love he held for her, but they certainly were there. Maybe one day she’ll love him just as much.

She didn’t know how she became so attracted to the Radio Demon, but every time she touched him, it felt right.

It was as if he were a completely different person around her. Whenever they were alone he was gentle and loving. Even around others he treated her well and gave her the special treatment no one else was afforded. Another pang of pride hit Charlie knowing that the touch-averted Radio Demon allowed her to touch him so freely. It was a kind of intimacy they enjoyed exclusively between them and it felt so natural and comfortable.

Tonight had solidified that feeling. The way he brought her close and caressed her cheek sent her heart soaring. And when he pulled her onto his lap and explored new territory in their kiss, she fell undone by him. With the alcohol in her system and her heightened feelings, she wanted him. When they finally got back to the hotel she ran her fingers down his chest to his abdomen and even lower-

Charlie’s pale yellow eyes snapped open. “Wait, what did I do?”

She jumped out of bed and brought her hands to her face, once again smacking her cheeks firmly. “Damn it Charlie, what were you doing? He’s asexual!” She groaned and smacked her cheeks again. “Yeah you were drinking but that doesn’t excuse yourself! Oh god… Al…”

He was acting funny after their goodbye kiss. It was because of her. She’d touched somewhere she shouldn’t have and scared him off.

Charlie groaned and hid her face in her hands. It was all her fault and she had to apologize. She couldn’t imagine what kind of discomfort she put her fiancee through.

With a quick glance to her phone, Charlie shook her head. She would have scooped up her phone and called Alastor right away, but decided that she needed to do it properly.

He did say he would be over later that day, but the reminder felt more like an excuse to avoid the situation.

She eventually fell back into her mattress, resolving herself to apologise later that day after she got some rest. However it didn’t matter anyway. As much as she wanted to sleep, she knew she wouldn’t be able to get much rest.

The next six hours were not kind to her in the slightest. She tossed and turned, feeling uncomfortable in every position she lay in. 

“Damn it…

Fortunately, Charlie managed two hours of sleep before she woke to the sound of her alarm. As much as she wanted to stay in and try to get more sleep, she needed to get up and tend to her hotel duties. It was her last day working for the next week so she needed to make sure the place wouldn’t blow up while she and Alastor were gone on their honeymoon.

At some point in the night she managed to wear herself out with worry and guilt, but it wasn’t enough. She still woke feeling as if she never went to sleep.

Getting through the day was torture. Alastor was nowhere to be found, Vaggie left early with Angel and the hotel was silent. It was late afternoon now and most of the hotel was either sound asleep or relaxing. As for the Princess of Hell, she stood in the kitchen and picked at her dinner.

Had she really scared off Alastor the day before their wedding? Was that enough to reconsider his feelings? Was he going to avoid her today? What about tomorrow? Will he even show up?

“He would probably think it would be hilarious to stand me up on our wedding day. Maybe this is all some sort of elaborate scheme to get me to put my guard down and string me along before putting the nail in the humiliation coffin…” she groaned and let her face fall to the table, letting her arms surround her face.

Tears threatened to well in her eyes, but she blinked them back rapidly. She’d done enough crying over the past couple of weeks.

She picked her head up and frowned. This wasn’t like her, when did she jump to conclusions so fast? 

“Where’s this all comin’ from, Charlie? You need to put some more faith in Al. He told you he loves you!” She paused and thought for a moment before signing once more. “Even though he’s not sure what ‘love’ is…” before she could slam her head back down onto the wood, the slam of the front door opening caught her attention. She stared at the kitchen door, wondering when- or if she should go check out the noise.

But then a slithering shadow crept under the kitchen door and caught Charlie’s attention. It looked at her for a moment before snaking back out from under the door. “He’s here!”

Not only was he here, he seemed to be looking for her as well. Charlie stood from her seat, preparing herself.

Not a second later, Alastor burst through the kitchen doors with an impossibly wide grin. “Charlie my love, I am home!” Alastor said in a sing-song tone. He stumbled over to her, looking like a newborn fawn learning to walk.

“A-Al! I need to talk to you,” as he approached, Charlie noticed the unevenness of his steps. “Are you okay?”

Alastor chuckled. “I have never been better my love,” He proudly announced as he got in front of his fiancee before promptly grabbing her by the shoulders and dipping her, eliciting a squeak from her. “You look beautiful today darling.” He said before bringing his lips to her’s.

Charlie tensed for a moment, eyes widened in shock. When he pressed his tongue against her lips, she immediately tasted the alcohol. She placed her hands on his shoulders and pushed him off her face. “Hey! Al are you drunk?”

“Drunk? Me?” He looked down at Charlie with a humored look and chuckled heartily. “My dear, I’m not drunk, I’m just so happy to see my beautiful fiancee is all!”

“He’s drunk.” An exasperated Angel Dust appeared in the doorway of the kitchen supporting Husk, who was as limp as a corpse. If it weren’t for his snoring, anyone would assume he was one.

Still dipped, Charlie let her head fall back to look behind her drunken fiancee. “I can see that, where did you guys go?”

Even from afar, Angel looked exhausted. He didn’t even react to the position she and Alastor were in. “Bachelor party. Alright. Ya have him so I’m leavin’ him here. I’m droppin’ Husk behind the counter and tuck him in. I’ll be up in my room. See ya tomorrow toots.”

“Wait, Angel!” Charlie reached out to no avail. The kitchen doors flopped closed and the pair were alone. Charlie groaned and managed to pull herself up straight by herself. She turned to her fiancee and sighed. After a moment to decide her next course of action, she brought her hands up to either side of his cheeks and smiled somberly. “Seemed like you had fun,”

Alastor merely hummed in response as he closed his eyes to settle in her cupped hands. He rested his hands on her hips as she spoke. “Hey, Al? I wanted to say sorry for last night. I-I guess I got a bit ahead of myself and I know you’re not comfortable with-“ a snore in the form of light radio static emitted from the drunk demon in front of her and cut her off.

Charlie paused and waited to hear yet another quiet static snore. “Oh whoops, I guess you got comfortable. Uhhhh…” she looked around trying to figure out how to move the man without dropping him.

Unceremoniously, Alastor collapsed to the floor, somehow without waking him. Luckily Charlie dropped to her knees and caught him before he flopped to the side with a gasp. Had she not, he would have busted his head open from the impact with the tiled floor.

“Oh shit.”

* * *

Razzle and Dazzle ended up helping their mistress drag the unconscious man to the elevator and into Charlie’s room. They took either of his legs while she took his upper half, partly dragging the long man across the floor. Had she not been so sore from the night before, this task wouldn’t have been as difficult. 

With three pairs of hands, they managed to get Al down to his button up shirt and slacks. The goat butlers made quick work to hang up his coat and set his socks and shoes by the door before leaving the couple alone.

Charlie was well aware that they were alone now with her heart racing. She looked over to Alastor and shook her head. She didn’t want to bother him, but she’d never seen him in such a peaceful state.

_ ‘What if he woke up and saw me staring?’ _

_ ‘Then he’ll think I’m a creep- wait.’ _

He shifted in place, freezing Charlie and her thoughts as she watched.

In the end she allowed curiosity to get the better of her and walked over. She sat on the bed and watched as he slept peacefully. Well, mostly peaceful as he emitted a low frequency hum as he slept. Funnily enough the quiet hum of an old idle radio was a calming white noise that relaxed her a bit.

She wasn’t sure how long she’d been watching him in awe, but she noticed little quirks about him while he slept. Every time he shifted, the sound of a radio tuning into different frequencies would play from his head as well as quiet tidbits of music.

It was cute, but she’d never say it to Alastor’s face. At least for now.

He shifted once more and a bit of  _ ‘April Showers’  _ played for a moment. It was the song he sang to her to cheer her up last week. It made her wonder what he was dreaming about.

A bit of his bangs shifted in front of his eyes when his head moved, signalling Charlie to sweep Alastor’s unkempt hair away with a soft smile.

_ ‘He smiles even in his sleep. Kinda weird but at least it’s not totally creepy I guess?’ _

She giggled quietly and leaned over to kiss Alastor’s temple. Deciding to let him rest, Charlie shifted to scoot off the bed and see how Husk and Angel were doing. Before she left, she took another glance at Alastor’s sleeping face.

It was getting late so Alastor would have to stay overnight. It worked out seeing how they’d be going to the same place tomorrow anyway. Luckily she could take the couch tonight to give him his space.

After all she didn’t properly apologize, she doubted that his sober self would want her to touch him, let alone sleep beside him.

“Goodnight Al.” She whispered with a somber smile.

Charlie scoot off the bed, but was abruptly taken aback by a long tentacle wrapping around her waist and yanked her backward. Taken off guard, Charlie shrieked and prepared herself for a collision, but only felt warmth. “And where are you hurrying off to?”

When Charlie opened her eyes, she found herself face to face with Alastor, who had an amused grin on his face. “Al!”

“What seems to be the matter my dear? You look like you’ve seen a ghost!” He chuckled, sounding much more coherent though slurring in a few places. He was clearly sobering, but the state of his thoughts were still questionable.

“You scared me!”

Alastor chuckled in response as he studied Charlie’s pouting face closely. Even through the haze of alcohol, he found her beautiful. Her long lashes, the scrunch of her nose, the pout of her lips-

He paused at her lips, fighting an urge that began bubbling up inside him. They called to him, so open and vulnerable, just asking to be kissed.

The demoness sighed. Since he was conscious and she was already here, she’d might as well apologize now. “Hey Alastor… I want to apologize for what happened last night. I realized I kinda overstepped some boundaries in the heat of the moment.” If he didn’t remember she had apologized in the morning, she could consider this a test run.

But the lack of any reaction from Alastor only made Charlie close her eyes and groan in defeat. She knew that he was still inebriated, what else was she expecting?

A gentle touch on her cheek startled her. Looking back at his face, his gaze softened. “Charlie,” he whispered softly. His whiskey scented breath hit her lips, making her heart race in anticipation. “You are the sweetest little thing. I accept your apology but I believe you must make it up to me.”

“H-how?”

In the most unpredictable move, Alastor brought his forehead to her’s as he closed his eyes. “Stay here and keep me company. We have a long day tomorrow.”

“Are you sure? You might regret it in the morning. I know you hate being touched.”

He hummed and made sure his grip on her was tighter to send a message. “I can make an exception. I’m not a fool that breaks so easily, you must remember,” He yawned, an audible crackle of static escaped his throat. “Now hush.” A tentacle brought up the covers over the both of them as he spoke. Alastor brought his arm to snake around Charlie firmly, keeping her close to his chest. 

Charlie’s heart wouldn’t stop it’s impossible pace. She didn’t understand what he meant, but nodded anyway.

It was so odd to see the ruthless Radio Demon here in her bed. He was always so cold in front of others, but here he was feeling warm and real against her.

His eyes closed once more, but Charlie’s gaze remained for a moment. She expected him to be annoyed at the very least. Maybe he’d want to set up boundaries, or just let her get off with a “Don’t do that.” but no, he accepted her apology. For whatever reason he wanted her even closer. 

She reasoned that this was the alcohol’s doing, or something Angel gave her fiancee, but for now it didn’t matter. Under Alastor’s grasp, she couldn’t escape without waking him anyway. She didn’t mind the arrangement in the slightest, in fact she was enjoying the comforting feeling of his arms wrapped around her. 

Without realizing it, Charlie’s eyes fluttered closed and she nestled in closer to the warmth of his neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends! We've reached the top of the precipice and now we have the wedding coming up next! 
> 
> We're also reaching the end very soon! Not quite the next chapter or the one after, but we're very close!
> 
> So what was the point of this all? We'll soon find out! 
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The biggest event of the century is here and Alastor and Charlie talk during the calm before the storm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the wedding day! 
> 
> Thank you all for sticking around so long! 
> 
> I want to thank Sesukytes (on Twitter and Tumblr) for designing the wedding outfits for my fic! We worked on this MONTHS ago and she's been holding onto this for this long! She's a dear friend of mine and a fantastic artist, please go show her support!!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

Alastor had almost always had restless nights. He’d toss, turn and rouse several times in the night, never receiving a fully satisfying rest. He neither dreamt nor had the opportunity to fall into a deep enough sleep for it. And ever since he was a boy he’d jump at the slightest sounds and movements. It was something ingrained in him and never left as nearly a century later he still rarely found any peaceful nights thanks to Hell’s chaotic nightlife.

But for the first time in a long time the abundant alcohol in his system kept him knocked out like a light. He wasn’t a stranger to it, but never found himself reliant on alcohol.

And had it not been for his inebriated state, he would have noticed the warm weight shifting in his arms through the night.

However when the spell over him eventually wore off in the early hours of the morning, he finally reacted to a soft sigh, a warm breeze on his neck and a dull throbbing pulsing through his skull.

As soon as he became aware his eyes snapped open, aggravating the splitting feeling in his head. Quickly he shut them once more only to open them again slowly this time to adjust his eyes to the light.

Once his eyes adjusted, his first painfully sober glimpse of the morning was a familiar flowing sea of golden tresses. Had there been a real sun in Hell, he was sure he would have gone blind with its reflection on the hair. His pained eyes trailed the mess of gold to the source and found the peaceful image of Charlie Magne just inches away from his neck.

Immediately he froze, watching her for a moment with a blank expression in an attempt to process the situation through the throbbing in his head. Though he gradually became much more distracted by the sleeping woman in his arms to notice the pain as much. He held his breath as he watched her breathe quietly, the occasional breath brushing his neck felt like electricity pulsing through him. His heart jumpstarted at the sensation as if it had stopped at some point. He eventually noticed how it had become far too warm for comfort, yet he couldn’t move. Rather, he didn’t want to move. It would have been far too easy to bleed out from under Charlie’s weight and find some relief from the sensations she was giving him. And yet, for some odd reason he refused to even entertain the thought.

It was difficult to consider moving away from her, let alone shift his gaze onto anything but her. He couldn’t shake the feeling that she’d disappear if he took his eyes off of her.

He vaguely remembered that they’d fallen asleep like this, but he expected her to be gone as soon as his arms loosened and the alcohol rendered his body a lifeless lump. Yet here she was, peacefully sleeping on top of his arm, mouth open to catch flies.

Without moving, he willed his shadow to life. The figure bled from his body and roamed the room quickly, scouting the area. He already had a good guess as to where they were. And now that he knew for sure, it still didn’t feel real.

_‘Did she really bring me up to her room? My, how did such a tiny little thing manage that?’_

The weight of Charlie in his arms, the warmth, the feeling of security and want, it just seemed too good to be true. Was she really there? Or was this some sort of cruel dream of a damned man? If so, he should be waking up from this dream at any moment. He should wake up in his lonesome bed, lucky to even receive a pleasant dream such as this.

But no matter how long he waited, he never woke up. He didn’t even need to pinch himself either thanks to his sudden re-awareness to his horrid hangover.

The painful throbbing was too real, confirming that this was indeed reality. This really was the princess’s room, and he really was in her bed with her nestled into his arms.

_‘Maybe I should drink myself under the table every night.’_ he mused, only half joking.

He began to recall the hazy events that led him to her bed. There was an awful bachelor’s party and a lot of whiskey. He lost control of his senses, somehow found his way back to the hotel and what happened between then and the moment he woke up in bed was still blurry.

Then when he woke up later that night, he saw the same golden curtain before him. He quickly pulled her into his arms before she could slip away from him.

Then out of nowhere she apologized to him for the night before, just like the sweet angel she was. The way she cared for others was certainly not something he was used to. She was far too pure for a place like this. Too genuine, too honest. Whatever she saw in him to keep him around and even consider him a friend, he couldn’t guess.

After she apologized to him, he began drifting off but mustered up enough strength to pull her close and order her to stay to make it up to him.

And she did. She indulged his inebriated self and stayed for him.

That fact alone set fire to his heart. Alastor had never once considered the “little pleasures” of domestic life with another. It was unimportant to him and if it had been anyone other than Charlie, he’s still never consider it.

Charlie was far too special. Never had he experienced such unadulterated kindness and selflessness since Charlie. She was too precious, too sweet and it never failed to tighten his chest under his rapid paced heart.

He was too far gone to change his mind at this point. Now that he’s acknowledged his ever growing feelings for the woman in his arms, all he can think about is her and keeping her close.

It had been a long time since he’d wanted anything. It had been even longer since he had to work for it. After all he’d get whatever he wanted whenever he wanted it. Now that Charlie was in his life, all he wanted now was her and her attention and love.

Since they’d met all he wanted was her company and attention. It perplexed him that he enjoyed another’s presence so much, but never bothered to really think about why. Though it all didn’t matter anymore. He got what he wanted and now she was his. She would always be his, and he would always be her’s.

The way she held onto his heart was far too dangerous. It alarmed him. It made him question his very being, yet it didn’t leave a foul taste in his mouth nor an unpleasant feeling in his gut. No, it felt right to be in her captivity, even when she didn’t realize how much she has over him.

As the deer demon lay trapped by his fiancee’s weight on his arm, he realized that he had ample time to think. He’d been doing a lot of thinking lately, but instead of answers he’d only have more questions for himself.

He stared down at the vulnerable demoness and listened to each slow breath. He still wasn’t entirely sure what about her captivated him. She was certainly beautiful, but Alastor wasn’t one to fall for a pretty face. Every little thing she’d say and do never failed to captivate and entertain him, but why was that exactly? Was it her enthusiasm? Her sincerity? Her light and warmth? Maybe all of the above? Whatever it was, Alastor was completely certain that he loved her and that was all that mattered to him.

A shift caught his attention and he stiffened, hearing a yawn coming below him. Her puff of hot breath tickled his exposed neck as she spoke.

“Is it morning already?” Charlie asked groggily.

“It seems so.” He answered a bit stiffer than he wanted to. Her breath continued to tickle his neck, sending chills and excitement up his spine and aggravating the pounding in his head further. Even so, more unrecognizable feelings began to stir within him and kept him frozen in place.

Charlie gazed up at him, immediately noticing his strained tone and tensed muscles under her. “Al, are you okay? Are you uncomfortable? I can go-“ she’d already begun wiggling out of his arms before he tightened his possessive hold.

He never wanted to let her go.

“No. I’m fine dear,” he paused and loosened his grip to look down at her face, letting his eyes drift down to her lips. Heat began to pool in his core. “It just seems like I got too far into the moonshine.” He attempted to pry his eye off of her to no avail.

‘What is this?’

“I mean, I can move so we can take care of your hangover and you can get comfortable. I can get you something for it.” She replied calmly.

“Just hold still.” He brought his hand to her chin and tilted her chin to focus her gaze on him. His eyes roamed over her blushing face. Her eyes and cheeks were red and puffy from sleep, her lips chapped yet still drawing him in. Truly she was a mundane sight, but he couldn’t bring himself to look away.

_‘I would not mind waking up to this view every day.’_ He meant to say, but couldn’t formulate the words.

He still couldn’t understand why the sight of her calmed him yet made his heart feel like it was going to burst out of his chest at any moment. It wasn’t fair. He wanted to rip his own heart out just to make the feeling stop. It was just far too much feeling for him. He swore that the spell she put him under was going to be the death of him one day.

“What time is it?” Charlie asked quickly and suddenly, turning her body to reach for her phone on the nightstand. It was an excuse to hide her reddened face and calm her heart. The move forced her to stretch, exposing the back of her neck to him.

To make matters worse, Alastor remembered their promise. It was a frivolous promise, but the need to mark her as his was still as strong as before. He still desperately needed to possess her, keep her close as much as possible to him.

Charlie felt a chill down her spine as she checked the time on her phone. She immediately recognized the feeling of Alastor’s intense gaze on her, but this was the first time he’d been touching her while staring at her and now Charlie could feel the physical effects of this state on him. His arms tightened its grip around her waist and she could hear his breaths grow slow and deep.

She turned back around and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Alastor didn’t look away once she faced him. “What do you mean?”

“The staring, Al. Why do you stare at me like you’re ready to eat me all the time?”

“Can you blame me? You always look so appetizing!” He chuckled.

Coming from a suspected cannibal, it wouldn’t have eased Charlie in the slightest. Had he not professed his love for her, she definitely would have been concerned.

“Don’t look at me that way, darling. You know I’m just joshing,” he chuckled once more but stopped quickly as he winced in pain. He took a moment to recover before he continued. “In all seriousness, I believe you are to blame for my behavior. Even I’m not too sure why I do it funnily enough.”

With that statement, Charlie could guess the reason. She knew that Alastor wasn’t one to express emotions, let alone affections.

He guided her right hand to his chest. Charlie found that his heart was in fact beating wildly. “But I can show you this. For whatever foolish reason you do this to me.” He explained plainly almost as if he were looking to her for answers.

But she didn’t have any for him. They both knew that he was in love. For what reason, neither knew.

Charlie couldn’t help but feel guilty. It was clear that he’d loved her for some time wether he knew it or not. He said he didn’t mind before, but what if he grew impatient with her?

“Do you still want to go through with this Al? You know I like you, but I don’t feel as strongly about you as you do me. I can’t tell you when or if I’ll ever fall in love with you.”

Under her fingers, his chest rumbled from a low chuckle quiet and still enough not to rattle his head too roughly. “I’ve never been so sure, my love. Just having you and your company is enough for me,” his voice became lower as he continued. “We have all the time in the world, darling. Take however much time you need to decide. Just stay by my side and let me be selfish in the meantime.”

“Alastor...” Charlie whispered. Her heart ached for the sweetness behind his words.

She lunged forward, pressing her lips against his without much thought. It was a short yet appreciative kiss, one that Alastor had no time to react to.

It did however cause his heart to pound hard enough for him to feel it in his head.

Once Charlie pulled away, her eyes widened in realization. Alastor winced at the pain, but recovered quickly to chuckle lowly once more before she could apologize. “You must have been reading my mind Charlie.”

Charlie snorted and scoot up so she was equally face to face with her fiancee. “Sorry about that.” She said softly, to which he hummed in appreciation.

After a moment of silence, Alastor reached up and firmly grasped her hand. “And what about you? Do you still want to go through with this? I could cut down a few poor souls and get the wedding called off.”

“What? Why would you need to do that to get out the wedding-“ she paused, realizing that she was questioning the Radio Demon. She didn’t want to know why he’d think to do that. “-never mind,”

She took a breath and gazed back at him. “I don’t want to call it off. This needs to happen and for whatever reason, it’s got to be a good one. My parents might not be the best parents or most understanding demons, but they still love me in their own weird way and I trust them enough for this,”

They’d both been left in the dark about this scheme, but Charlie couldn’t help but feel a bit betrayed that her parents had yet to explain anything to her. “I just wish I knew what was going on.” Her expression dropped slightly.

Alastor squeezed her hand. “We can go grill your parents together. Literally if you’d like!”

Charlie smiled appreciatively and nodded. Alastor’s odd sense of humor, although morbid was still oddly charming. “Thanks Al. You know you’re a really sweet guy when you want to be. In your own weird way.” She said with a giggle.

The melodic little laugh warmed Alastor despite the blasphemous things his fiancee had just told him. He couldn’t remember the last time anyone had ever called him ‘sweet’ let alone giggle and thank him for anything. It wouldn’t have felt right had it come out of anyone else’s mouth. “Only for you, my dear. Though I would advise you keep it to yourself.”

Charlie shot him a smug smile as she propped herself up on her side. She loomed over Alastor, looking down at him with half-lidded eyes. “Oh yeah? Or what?” She asked challengingly.

Surprised, Alastor merely stared up at her as she playfully challenged him. He grinned at her and chuckled. She was always full of surprises and energy.

_‘Unpredictable, bubbly Charlie. My Charlie.’_

“You might not want to find that out my dear.”

He completely ignored the throbbing in his head as he lifted himself enough to press his lips against her’s while also bringing a hand up to the back of her head. Swiftly, he wrapped the other arm around her body and pulled her on top of him.

In the heat of their kiss, Charlie’s legs moved to straddle him as her hands made their way up to either side of his face before moving to tangle them in his hair. The pressure of her hands managed to ease the throbbing in his head enough to focus completely on her and her chapped lips.

Alastor’s hands made their way to her hips, finding a comfortable place to grip her. Something bubbled up within him, fueling something he’d begun feeling traces of only recently.

Eventually, Charlie’s fingers moved up and found the base of his antlers, giving him a tug as she pulled away for air.

“Wow. I... really wasn’t expecting that. Are you okay? I’m sorry I keep forgetting about your headache.” She breathed against his lips.

“Neither did I to be fair.” Alastor huffed a laugh, wiping saliva off on the back of his sleeve. “I’m fine. Though I feel like a bullet has gone through my skull again.” He chuckled at his own joke, eliciting a snort followed by a muffle of giggles from the woman atop him.

“Al, that’s awful!”

“Oh but you’re laughing anyway aren’t you.” He smirked, basking in her bright smile.

Yes, he could definitely wake up this way every night. Even with the head splitting headache, he would bear with it just for this every morning.

Before either could say anything more, the slam of a door and mixed noises of rushed demons caused Charlie to roll off Alastor in a panic.

She flopped onto her back beside him and sighed. “I wasn’t expecting that either.”

Alastor huffed a laugh and sat up slowly. “Neither did I. I suppose it’s showtime then,” he ignored the crew of demons setting up at Charlie’s vanity, who were setting up in a hurry, a few watching the couple.

“I suppose I’ll be seeing you at the altar my love.” He leaned over and pressed his lips to his soon-to-be-wife’s lips, pulling away after a moment to stand.

Charlie, now red in the face, sat up and watched Alastor dress himself with the snap of his fingers. All at once he returned to his normally kept self with his microphone in hand. He even acted as if he weren’t suffering from a head splitting hangover.

He glanced at Charlie and winked before turning on his heel out toward the bedroom door. But true to himself he couldn’t help but find a bit of amusement from Charlie’s team. The Radio Demon turned his narrowed eyes toward the group onto no one in particular, yet he still earned quite the reaction from the lot of them. He was warning them in the most benign way possible, but that didn’t stop the crew of six to freeze in place.

With a satisfied hum, Alastor walked out of the room with a gleeful hop in his step.

Luckily for Charlie nobody said a word as she rolled out of bed and approached the crew. No one mocked her or even spoke of what they saw thanks to Alastor’s deadly gaze.

_‘Just being with him does this...’_ Charlie thought with a shiver. She should have expected this and supposed she should get used to it. Being the wife of the all-powerful Radio Demon, it was guaranteed that she’d be feared as well.

She’d have to do something about that later. She didn’t want to be feared, she just wanted enough respect to be seen as a person. Though she couldn’t help but enjoy it just a bit.

Her mother arrived shortly after Alastor left, but didn’t seem to have bumped into him on her way in. She immediately scooped her daughter into her arms and began ordering around the crew.

After a whirlwind of pre-planned dressing and a moment of makeup application, they were now at the last step: hair. Charlie sat at her vanity feeling useless. Nearly everything was picked out for her, she only needed to play her part.

Charlie ran her hand over the red embroidery of her dress, idly admiring the metallic-like sheen the red thread gave off against the black fabric. She chose the dress purely because of this beautifully flashy detail. It was definitely the best of the bunch that was pre-chosen for her.

The dress was beautiful in its own right, but it wasn’t something she’d personally would have worn to her own wedding. It was too dark and too contrasting with her usual self. Not to mention it reminded her too much of what she suspected to be the original purpose of the wedding: to distance her from her own reputation. It was a depressing thought, but she knew it had to be done.

Now that she was stuck in place for a while, she let her thoughts drift to Alastor.

She’d been thinking a lot about her husband-to-be lately. Every time she did, her heart raced. And for how often she thought of him, it almost seemed like her heart would give out from exhaustion. It had only been two weeks since they’ve been engaged, but to the underworld they’d been together for a longer, undisclosed time. It almost felt that way with how much she’d learned about Alastor in such a short amount of time.

Oddly enough, Charlie felt hopeful for her future with Alastor. She knew she had to for her own sake and sanity, but something gave her a good feeling about it. If it was her optimistic nature or Alastor's expressed love and willingness to make this work, it didn’t matter. As long as they could work together in this marriage, everything should continue to go smoothly.

“Charlie my love,” a gentle voice with an equally gentle touch on her shoulders startled Charlie out of her thoughts. “You look beautiful.”

Charlie looked up into her reflection in the mirror and gasped at the hair style. It wasn’t what her mother had picked out for her. What her mother picked out was a much more complex look that would have taken much longer to fix up.

Instead what Charlie saw in the mirror was the look she originally wanted, but her mother denied for being “too simple” for a royal wedding. She brought her hand up to the back of her head and found a braid running down her segmented hair, just like she asked.

“Mom...” Charlie looked up and smiled at her mother through the reflection before standing, her heart feeling full. As soon as she turned to face her, Charlie was enveloped in her mother’s arms.

“I’m so sorry you have to do this. I know I should have said something earlier, but I just didn’t think I could bring myself to-“

“It’s okay. You don’t have to apologize,” she gently pulled away from the hug and smiled. “I knew this was coming someday.”

“I wish it didn’t have to be him though, sweetheart,” Lilith sighed as she brought her hands to her daughter’s face. She brushed her thumb over Charlie’s rosy cheeks and sighed once more. “If you want we can accuse him of conspiracy and execute him. Would you rather do that? You can find someone else.”

Charlie, taken aback by the suggestion chuckled warily. “No, you don’t need to do that mom. I actually kinda like him.”

“Really it would be so easy- what? He hasn’t hurt you has he? Is he threatening to hurt you to go through with this?”

“No no no no no no!” Charlie waved her arms frantically to grab her mother’s attention. “Oh no, it’s not like that! Just... trust me on this one. I’m not in love with him, but I wanna give us a try.”

Lilith’s hesitation was clear on her face. Charlie understood the feeling considering the kind of man Alastor was, but that was only the part he showed others. She didn’t know the side that he only showed Charlie and she supposed it was best that she kept that to herself.

“Oh alright. Just please be careful my dear little apple. If you need help, just let me know. Tour and business be damned.”

Charlie smiled and reached up to kiss her mom on the cheek. “Thank you mom.” Lilith wasn’t the best mother, but she had her moments that Charlie appreciated.

“Um, excuse me your highnesses,” the pair looked over to a nervous looking mouse demon who jumped as soon as they looked at him. “I-it’s time.”

Lilith squeezed Charlie’s shoulders and took her attention. “Okay my darling girl,” she bent down and kissed Charlie’s forehead before reaching for the crown connected to a short veil behind her daughter. Lilith looked down at the crown that resembled her own and looked up to her daughter with a bittersweet smile. 

Without a word, she carefully placed the crown upon her daughter’s head and gently turned her around to look into the vanity mirror together. 

When Charlie looked into the mirror, she found herself where she had half expected to find someone that wasn’t. She was still recognizable to herself when she worried that she’d only be some sort of doll to dress up. 

“You look beautiful,” Lilith said, sighing with a contented smile. She placed her hands on Charlie’s shoulders and squeezed them gently. “I know you’re going to knock him dead.”

* * *

Alastor stood at the altar, humming quietly to himself as he patiently waited for his bride. Unfortunately the wedding was behind schedule and the room was growing antsy.

He looked over to the wedding’s officiator, who was an elderly owl demon. He shrugged and looked down to his book, obviously avoiding conversation. Since Alastor approached the altar, the owl kept a respectable distance between he and the Radio Demon and only nodded to him in acknowledgment. Alastor didn’t know who he was, but he must have some sort of standing in Hell’s hierarchy to officiate a royal wedding.

Dying from anticipation and fully relieved of his migraine, Alastor occasionally looked out at the crowd of Hell’s royalty, overlords and other important individuals and reveled in their hesitation to look him in the eye. Even the hell-borne were quaking even more than usual.

He recognized most of the crowd, and he didn’t doubt that everyone in the room knew exactly who he was. Even if they didn’t before, they’d certainly know now and it tickled Alastor to know that all of Hell would be learning about him if they hadn’t already.

Then the music abruptly began. Normally, Alastor would have paid more attention to the heavy organ music playing, but the moment the throne room’s main doors opened, he lost all thought and sense. 

Charlie stepped into the room hanging onto the arm of her father, who seemed to have plastered on a smile. Knowing him, he was probably crying just before walking out. Alastor suspected that he was the reason that the wedding was delayed this long.

But then his gaze returned to Charlie and never left her. Not even when he walked down the steps to receive her from her father, an ironic tradition seeing how this arrangement originally began with Lucifer giving his daughter away.

Once the father and daughter reached the altar, Charlie wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him tight.

Alastor didn’t realize he’d been holding his breath at the sight of his soon-to-be wife until reached up and took his hand with a smile.

It took sheer willpower to keep the neutral smile plastered on his face. She was beautiful. She was always beautiful, charming and incredible; even on her worst days she was radiant. But the way she looked on their wedding day had his heart beating so wildly he almost felt the need to rip it from his chest just to keep his composure.

Alastor couldn’t even give the owl demon officiating their wedding much of his attention. He barely even noticed when he had started to speak as he’d already found himself lost in his bride. It seemed to be the same for Charlie, who held both of his hands in her’s firmly and her gaze locked on his.

She looked up at him with a bright smile, melting his heart with every second that passed. At this point he truly was not paying any attention to his own wedding. He should have been basking in the attention they were receiving, and yet he found the most comfort in Charlie’s own softened gaze.

Even with all eyes on them, Charlie found comfort in Alastor’s gaze. The love and warmth she found in his gaze, his firm yet gentle grasp, even his gentle smile was all for her and she knew it. Her heart beat out of her chest, aching to be nearer to him.

She saw the hopeful future in his eyes, felt the promise of safety in his grasp and mutual happiness in his smile. It tugged on her heart, threatening hopeful tears to spill.

They let the officiator drone on as they continued to get lost in the other. Neither knowing what the other was thinking about, but it didn’t bother them.

“Alastor, will you take princess Charlotte Magne, heir to the throne of Hell, as your wife? To take up the Magne name from, stand beside and one day rule together for the rest of your afterlife?”

He looked into his love’s eyes and found the future staring back at him. So much to experience, so much to learn and many more days he wanted to spend with her. Without a shadow of a doubt he knew that the woman that stole his icy heart was far too special to let go. “I do.” He answered firmly and without hesitation.

The elderly owl turned to Charlie and repeated his lines. “Princess Charlotte Magne, will you take Alastor the Radio Demon as your husband? To stand beside and one day rule together for the rest of your afterlife?”

She nodded without hesitation. “I do.”

Razzle and Dazzle scampered up the steps a moment later, each with a red pillow and ring in hand.

Alastor picked up the ring and examined it briefly. It was a simple silver band with small glistening diamonds embedded into it. The center was set with a much larger, blood red diamond. It was the most hideous thing Alastor had ever seen and it clearly looked far too gaudy on Charlie’s finger as he slid it on. It didn’t feel right that he didn’t choose this ring for her. He decided that he would have to rectify this later by finding a better ring that best suited her.

When it was Charlie’s turn to slide the ring onto Alastor’s finger, she also took a look at it. The silver band was in the shape of two snakes circling a red oblong stone in the center. It was sinister and not something she would have chosen for Alastor. She figured she could get him something more personalized later on. The ring needed to be special.

Before Charlie could let go of Alastor’s hand after finishing sliding the ring onto his hand, he turned his hand over and grasped her retracting hand. A tad startled, the bride looked up to her groom and smiled.

“I pronounce you man and wife,” the officiator took an unnecessary step back and gestured to the empty space in front of him with a smile.

“You may now kiss the bride.”

Alastor leaned down for the kiss, but didn’t anticipate Charlie jumping him, crashing her lips into his and wrapping her arms around his neck and nearly knocking the silk hat off his head. Alastor’s hands found his own arms wrapped around his wife’s body, supporting her lithe frame.

Neither heard the polite applause and neither cared. As far as they knew, they were the only two in the room.

Charlie pulled away for air only to realize they had a massive audience full of politely clapping demons. Out in the front row, Lucifer Magne was sniveling with Lilith next to him, comforting him while also wiping tears away.

Alastor merely glanced at the rest of the crowd before returning his full attention to Charlie. He took Charlie’s left hand. He bowed slightly to meet his lips to her fingers right under her ring. This caught her attention once more as she whipped her head around to look at him.

“A-Al?” Her cheeks bloomed with red, causing Alastor to chuckle. The applause and clicks of cameras around them fell on deaf ears. It was only them once more.

“I love you, Charlie Magne.”

Her breath escaped her lips. Not in surprise, but in awe of the tenderness of his smile and words. The adoration in his eyes triggered an ache in Charlie’s heart as she considered their gap in affections.

She stared down at his partly bowed figure feeling like time had stopped along with the air flow from her lungs. Will she one day be able to reciprocate properly? Can she truly return his affections equally?

She’d give an honest effort to let it happen naturally, but for now she needed to make sure he knew she acknowledged his feelings for her without faking anything.

She smiled softly and squeezed his fingers gently.

“I know.”

Alastor’s ears shifted at a disturbance. Something alerted Alastor’s shadow outside and caught his attention. 

But it was too late to do anything about it.

Though he knew something was coming, he couldn't prepare himself for the loud _crash_ that echoed through the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oop- who crashed the wedding? 
> 
> ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding crasher makes an appearance and Charlie and Alastor learn something.

Alastor only had a sliver of a second to make a decision and get both he and Charlie out of the way of the falling stone above them. Luckily she was already close by and in his grasp. All he needed to do was tighten his grip on her hand and pull her backwards with him.

With Charlie pulled into his embrace, Alastor ungracefully fell back, allowing his shadow to catch them before they tumbled down the altar stairs together.

Placed back on their feet at the bottom of the steps and away from danger, they watched on as the dust began to settle around them. Where the marble altar once was now stood a massive metal sphere atop the mess of stone. Unfortunately for the officiator he was likely left trapped under the rubble.

“What is that thing?” Charlie gasped, eyes widening at the sight.

Alastor truly didn’t know, nor did he care.

Over the sounds of gasps and startled screams, a maniacal cackle followed by a loud lispy voice echoed the hall. “Yes! Scream you worms! My plan is simply genius I know!” He cackled. “Now that every important being of Hell is here and out of their element, this should be a breeze!” The audible sound of a pulled lever and the whir of machinery only caused the screams to heighten. A massive lazer emerged, immediately blasting the roof above the guests before anyone could react.

Luckily was prepared for the fall this time. Not that the powerful beings really needed his help, but it didn’t hurt to remind them who he was. He willed his shadow to catch the rubble before any of their guests could be crushed under the weight of the falling ceiling. The shadow effortlessly expanded into a solid net, catching each massive piece of stone falling from the sky.

He looked out amongst the crowd to gauge their reaction. The crowd had calmed once the rubble was caught above them and where there was a moment of panic, there were only silent scowls and eager looks.

They wanted a show. They wanted blood from the demon that dared to make fools of them all. Alastor looked to Lucifer and Lilith. Neither looked amused but neither seemed to make a move just like the rest of the crowd. Instead he shot Alastor a look, expecting his new son-in-law to perform for them.

Turning his attention back to the intruder, Alastor realized that he recognized the voice of the snake demon he easily defeated six months ago. Although he couldn’t recall his name, it did not matter. The fool had the audacity to ruin his wedding and nearly harm his wife, he already decided all the ways he would mutilate the man. He had the stage, and all he needed to do was snap-

However, before Alastor could snap the problem away, Charlie pushed herself out of his arms and charged up the altar stairs toward the massive sphere. “You son of a bitch!”

Frozen in place, Alastor watched as his wife punched the lazer from its fastenings and into the stone wall across the room. The raw power put behind the punch sent a shockwave throughout the throne room, rattling everything and everyone in its path.

Completely taken by surprise, Alastor watched Charlie in awe. She had the same spark and spunk that drew him to her in the first place, but in light of this display he thought he was falling in love all over again. Not for the power, no, but for that burning passion in her eyes- for the initiative she put forth.

When the room settled, Charlie turned to the source of the voice, staring down the demon behind the glass of the machine. “Get out here!”

Alastor snapped out of his daze. As easily as he could bring down the pitiful wannabe overlord, he thought it would be best to let Charlie take care of it herself. If she could prove herself here and now, maybe she can show just how powerful she can be.

 _‘But would she want that?’_ He thought, pausing.

If she did take care of the problem herself, she could prove herself to their audience. She’d be feared, revered even. It would be so easy to repair her tarnished reputation, but Alastor couldn’t see her wanting it this way.

 _‘No, she wouldn’t. She isn’t meant to stain her hands with blood. She’d never forgive herself.’_ He would just as gladly take care of the situation himself. She had already played her part and presented her strength.

With his hands behind his back, Alastor calmly made his way up the stairs to Charlie and found that her horns had already drawn themselves out of her skull. The borderline feral look on her face made his heart skip a beat. No matter how many times he would see her in this state, he figured that he would probably never get tired of it.

“Charlie?” He said calmly, calling her back to reality. He placed his hand on her shoulder, grounding her.

Charlie tensed and paused. Immediately her horns began to recede and within a single blink, her eyes went back to normal. She followed the hand to the man beside her and blinked. “Alastor?” She asked seemingly confused as to why he stopped her.

“You did well my dear. Don’t soil your hands.” He trailed his hand down her arm and took her hand in his. She nodded and gently squeezed his hand, prompting him to switch his focus.

When he turned his gaze up to the petrified snake demon behind the glass, he reveled in his expression. The fear in his eyes, his tense posture leaving him unable to run. While Alastor enjoyed a hunt, he didn’t have the time nor patience for it today. His wife was waiting.

With a sinister smile on his face, he brought his free hand up and snapped his fingers, eyes never leaving the terrified look on the snake’s face.

Inky black tentacles sprouted out of portals from every which way. In a familiar fashion, they swarmed and circled the sphere, the crunch of metal giving way under followed by the shattering of glass sounded through the hall. In the next moment, the tentacles found their way inside and tossed their shrieking target out of the machine.

_‘He truly thought using the same trick twice would make a difference.’_

The snake landed with a horrible _crack_ of his bones before the couple. He groaned, unable to move a muscle but managed enough to move his eyes up to a truly terrifying sight.

The Radio Demon in all his horrifying delight glared down at the man, his hand still slightly raised to snap his fingers.

* * *

“What kind of pussy takes his wife’s name?”

Velvet looked up from her phone’s screen to another, more expressive screen. “Hey I’d be careful if I were you, Vox. The Radio Demon’s a Magne now. If he ever gets the throne, you don’t wanna be on his bad side.”

Vox scowled and shrugged. “Eh, whatever. But hey maybe I can marry up into royalty too. All I gotta do is chat up some lonely prince or princess and bam! Next in line to be a prince of Hell!”

“Good luck telling Val that.” Velvet rolled her eyes and went back to her phone, marveling at all the likes and comments she’d been getting from her wedding coverage. She recorded the full mauling of the wedding crasher by the Radio Demon and the power the princess of Hell displayed.

Nobody spoke about what they’d just witnessed, still astounding by what had just happened. They’d never seen such a display of power or savagery from the fragile little princess. With the combined power of the Radio Demon, nobody knew what kind of damage they could do together should they feel like rampaging.

The princess had finally presented some kind of power. Now that she’d discovered one, it wouldn’t be long until she discovered any other power she may have. As the daughter of Lucifer and Lilith, she could be even powerful than anyone could imagine. Needless to say, nobody knew exactly what the princess was capable of and nobody could guess.

For now the guests awaited for the bride and groom to start the party. Many took the time to drink and catch up while others took the opportunity to discuss _other_ matters.

Quiet conversations among the common chatter were exchanged with none the wiser of the conspiracy around them.

* * *

Another, more heated discussion away from the waiting reception party took place in Charlie’s old bedroom within the palace.

Once the situation was all said and done, Lucifer and Lilith pulled the couple away to talk.

Lucifer was the first to sing his praises. “My dearest Charlie this is the first time you’ve ever presented any powers! My dear I’m so proud of you! Maybe there’s still hope for you yet! My, I don’t think I have to worry about you anymore!”

Charlie blinked, ignoring her father’s backhanded compliment. “Worry about me? Why?”

The room became silent.

“Lucifer Magne, you didn’t tell your own daughter why this needed to happen in the first place?”

Lucifer put up both his hands in front of him and shrugged. “I was going to, I swear! I just thought that if I didn’t, she wouldn’t have to worry is all!”

Charlie stepped up with a pout, arms crossed over her middle. “Worry about what?”

With a much softer tone, her father turned to answer her. “Charlie, my sweet little apple. You know we would protect you whatever the cost, right?”

“Yes?” Charlie responded, feeling her gut drop with dread.

“Yes, well... I’ve been receiving whispers of what may be a coup.”

Charlie shot her father a puzzled look. “What? But dad, you hear about that kind of stuff all the time don’t you?” She knew the more cocky, power-hungry mortal souls were prone to plan coups. Of course they would never get even close to success. Whatever Lucifer was afraid of frightened Charlie to her core.

“I do. And yes I could always handle it, but that’s not what I was worried about.”

“Then what were you worried about? It wasn’t that guy was it?” She asked, grimacing.

When she watched the second wave of rubble fall down toward her parents, her friends and her people, something snapped. She recognized the snake man from the day he came to destroy her and her friends. At the time she was taken off guard, but Alastor took care of it before anything could happen.

When he came back to crash her wedding and harm her friends and family, every grievance and bit of stress that had a hold of her suddenly took her over the edge.

She charged the intruder immediately after Alastor saved everyone- an act she still wanted to thank him for properly. The rage continued to build and build until she let all her frustrations out on the massive lazer. Charlie didn’t expect the machinery to crumble and fly so easily under her fist, but at the time it didn’t matter to her. She just wanted everyone to be safe.

The next moment Alastor brought her back to reality and saved her from something she would have certainly regretted- another thing she needed to thank him properly for later. After she snapped out of it, Alastor took over and ripped the pitiful snake man to bloody pieces.

Sure he crashed the wedding and he would eventually regenerate, but Charlie still felt like they both went way too far. She didn’t like how angry she felt, but the power felt too good. How easily he crumbled like his machine, how the crack of his bones when he crashed relieved her- it terrified her. What was even worse was that it felt wrong now, but at the time she felt incredible. At least Alastor snapped her out of it before she could get her hands on the intruder, but it felt like a cheap cop out of her guilty conscience.

“What? Small fry like him? Please, he’s the last idiot I was worried about. I had no idea he’d be as bold- or stupid to try this though,” Lucifer shook his head and sighed before continuing.

“You know I have eyes and ears all over Hell. I hear all sorts of unsavory things. I’d normally ignore something like this until I heard about a very specific plot. I heard about it some time after you moved out of the house,” he scowled and placed both of his hands on either of Charlie’s shoulders. Charlie couldn’t remember the last time he’d looked this serious before. He squeezed her shoulders with a firm yet protective grip.

“There is a group that is planning on kidnapping you to use against me. The worst part about this is that these cretins plotting against me are a part of the court. I can save you from any old mortal soul, but the court is different. They’re older than the mortals and much more powerful. We don’t know who or how many of them are conspiring against us. Not to mention the overlords they have in their employ. The last thing I wanted was to get you wrapped up in this. That’s why I needed you to marry someone powerful quickly. Someone who is on equal footing with many of them.” He pointed to Alastor, who shrugged his shoulders and nodded in response. “His reputation is enough for even the princes of Hell to cower from. It was that or force you to come home for who knew how long. Decades, centuries even?”

Lilith stepped in and placed her hand on top of Lucifer’s remaining hand on Charlie’s shoulder. Through her father’s grip, she felt her mother’s gentle yet firm pressure over it. “And the last thing we wanted you to do was stay trapped in the palace. That was why it had to be Alastor. You already got to know him well enough to pass off a seemingly natural marriage made from love. It would have been easier to throw off usurpers with a love story with a powerful being rather than let them know that your father suspects treason in the court.”

Alastor listened on and it all began to make sense. He hadn’t heard of this coup plot yet, though he was bound to hear about it somewhere eventually. Though this seemed to be such a tight lipped secret amongst the powerful in Hell, he may not have even noticed any shady dealings unless someone offered him an invitation. Oddly enough he was almost offended that he wasn’t invited to this coup, though that may have been due to his involvement with the princess of Hell early on.

Would he have joined the conspirators if he weren’t involved, he didn’t want to think about it too hard.

Lucifer smiled warmly up to his daughter. “This way we know you are safe and free to live as you wished. And as I had already known Alastor myself, I expected him to go along with it for kicks just as he did. He’s not interested in gaining power like the overlords and court, he already has it. Now we’ve practically given him more.”

“Excuse me, I believe I’m still in the room.” Alastor piped up only to be ignored.

Charlie furrowed her brow, processing everything she just heard. It all made sense now. This was a huge deal and she had no idea. She’d never even considered this to be a possibility and she suddenly felt vulnerable. At any moment she could have been snatched from her hotel and used as a bargaining chip. Could she have used her newfound powers to save herself from the princes of Hell? She shivered just thinking about it.

“Alastor really was the perfect candidate for this then huh? It really couldn’t have been any more perfect of a set up. So why didn’t you tell him about this?”

Lucifer answered. “He’s too unpredictable and uncontrollable. He may not be an ambitious sinner, but he gets bored easily. Who knows what he would do knowing the entire Magne family was at risk?”

“You do know I’m standing right here, sir.” Once more Alastor was ignored as the other man continued.

“We don’t know who exactly is conspiring against us. I suspected a few members of the court to be in cahoots. I also suspect Valentino may be up to something, but that’s not exactly confirmed and we have no idea how many others we’re up against. That’s why we needed to add another powerful being to our side.”

Alastor stepped up. “Well, I believe I could still switch sides!”

Charlie finally looked up at her husband with a scowl and a gentle elbow to his side. “You wouldn’t.”

Alastor heartily laughed with his laugh track and shook his head. “No I wouldn’t my dear. I don’t think I have it in me to betray such a fierce creature such as you. Watching you destroy that machine with such ease has surely quelled any treaturous bone in my body! I hadn’t the slightest clue you had it in you!” He leaned in closer to her and spoke slightly lower. “It makes me eager to see more.”

Lucifer cut in between them and pushed the two away from each other. “Alright, that’s enough! I don’t want to hear any more and we have a reception to attend to! We can talk about this another time!” Lucifer said as he pulled his daughter away from Alastor and out the door, leaving Lilith and Alastor alone.

Lilith walked past Alastor, her eyes transfixed on something behind him. His eyes followed her as he wordlessly moved aside for her. “Alastor I know you’re not the best of men- far from it really,” she scoffed softly. With a moment of silence, she picked something off the dresser Alastor had been standing in front of. Lilith sighed before continuing, not bothering to turn to face him. “And I can’t believe I’m saying this to you of all people. Please protect my daughter. She cares about you and I believe you do too based on the way you were looking at her during the ceremony. It certainly didn’t feel like an act and I’m hopeful that you truly do care for her,”

Alastor walked up next to his mother-in-law and looked down at a framed photo in Lilith’s hands. It was a photo of the Magne family. The way it was set looked as though this was a formal family photoshoot while Charlie was still a child. The only thing off about the photo was Charlie bawling her eyes out as Lucifer and Lilith both tried to console her long enough to take the family’s photo.

“Promise me, Alastor. You will protect her with your life.”

Alastor chuckled and shook his head. “I don’t think you will have to worry about that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sketch shit be a'brewin'
> 
> Congrats to MickiBlay for guessing who was the wedding crasher btw!


	18. Chapter 18

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The celebration continues!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO WELCOME BACK I KNOW IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME AND IM SO SORRY!
> 
> I've been so busy with work and school. Everyday is work and school and I'm usually exhausted by the end of the day. 
> 
> And like an old person, I have been progressively forgetting the damn plot to this fic. Luckily though I've finally gotten around to writing the entire plot down. Now of course it's subject to change, I would estimate the number of total chapters for this fic to be around 40 chapters. WHICH MEANS WE'RE ALMOST HALFWAY THERE WOO.
> 
> Anyway, I got a lot of stuff coming up fic-wise and I'm still working on the Charlastor Doc with my friend Brightmamasun on Twitter. If you want more info on what the hell it is, I suggest checking it out on her Twitter or my Tumblr!
> 
> Thank you for the lovely comments and encouraging words my friends, I hope you enjoy!

When Alastor left Lilith to rejoin Charlie, he found her outside the banquet hall with a listless gaze dead set on the large mahogany doors before her. If she could- and Alastor wouldn’t be surprised if she really could- she would have burned holes through the door.

It was understandable. Not even ten minutes ago she learned about a plot against her family and specifically against her safety and life. Lucifer may have had the right idea to keep this conspiracy secret from Charlie, but hindsight is twenty-twenty. 

As he casually strolled down the empty hall, a troubling thought came to mind. She was here out in the open, nearly alone and completely vulnerable. What was worse was that she wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings. Massive windows ran along the leftmost side of the hall, easy access for an ambush on an unsuspecting princess. It would have been an easy clean job and nobody would have noticed until someone walked into the hall. 

The only line of defense between Charlie and danger before he walked in were her two goat butlers who stood in front of her. They were attempting to get her attention by tugging on the skirts of her dress in vain. It was a pitiful sight and it only raised questions. 

He wondered if Lucifer really had this much confidence in his protection, or had Charlie reassured him that she’d stay safe? Either way, it didn’t seem like a wise decision and he was glad he came shortly after she’d left. If she were left alone any longer, who knew what could have happened.

Razzle and Dazzle stopped their futile efforts only when they sensed Alastor's approach. They seemed ready to pounce, only confusing Alastor further. In their forms it didn’t seem like the happy little goats could harm a fly; what could they do in the face of real danger? Alastor didn’t sense anything special or overly magical about the pair. 

They quickly stepped aside once they identified him and declared him safe to approach.

Alastor swiftly shooed the hesitant two legged goats away, leaving Charlie alone with him. Even with the subtle commotion, Charlie didn’t respond or even notice him beside her. She looked far too busy chewing on her bottom lip and breathing shallowly. It certainly wasn’t a look he enjoyed on her. 

Alastor leaned in a bit toward her to speak almost directly into her ear. “Fancy seeing you here.”

At the sudden sound of his voice so close to her in the quiet hallway, she visibly tensed and whipped her head. She took a few steps back but soon stopped and let out a sigh of relief the moment she realized who’d just snuck up on her.

“Oh... hey Al.” Charlie replied half-heartedly.

Alastor offered her his arm. “Shall we? Our guests are waiting for us. All that action has me famished! Why, I’m almost desperate enough to eat a whole snake!”

With a weak smile she took his arm with an equally pitiful grip. “Sure.”

Alastor tilted his head. Where the little demoness would usually giggle at his jokes- no matter how awful- there was hardly a smidgen of a smile on her usually bright face. She also hung lifelessly onto his arm, as if she were just going through the motion and not actually thinking about it.

It didn’t suit her at all.

_ ‘Her worries will consume her.’  _ He silently commented. Knowing Charlie, she’d let this revelation affect her to the point of madness if it went on long enough. 

He tsked. “This won’t do,”

Her limp arm fell from his when he turned slightly to face her. Grabbing her attention, and her face, he bought his hand up to gently raise her chin. “Smile my dear! You wouldn’t want to look naked on your wedding day, would you?”

With her large, frightened doe eyes staring into his relaxed lidded gaze, she answered. “Al, am I really supposed to ignore the fact that we’re probably surrounded by people who want us dead?”

Although he was one of her only allies at this party, and he knew she wore her heart on her sleeves, he didn’t expect her to be so blunt with him. Where he’s usually needed to wrench the answer out of her, she let it all out in a way he didn’t expect.

Alastor shook his head in response. “No, you shouldn’t!” He confirmed with a bit too much enthusiasm than intended.

Charlie’s brow furrowed, deepening her worried expression in response. It definitely wasn’t what he intended and came close to cursing his growing anticipation. 

He wouldn’t deny that the situation they were in was far too exciting. The court intrigue, the hidden threat, the mystery- it was just the thing he needed to keep him on his toes in this afterlife. 

But he knew that to Charlie, this whole ordeal was absolutely terrifying. And just like the first day they met, she needed him. She needed a partner and though he wasn’t sure exactly how he could provide support for her, he knew he would try his damndest to keep her safe and smiling.

“But-“ he started, trailing his hand from her chin to her cheek. “- you shouldn’t allow it to rule your life. Your life has always been in danger since the day you were born, dear. What’s another threat on top of another?” He stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb, feeling her press into his touch slightly.

She knew he was right. She’s always been at risk since she was born, but never put too much thought into it. Still, she couldn’t help the dread in her gut. They were still blindly jumping into a pit of snakes, not knowing when or who would strike.

“I know… It’s just overwhelming.” she placed her hand over his, keeping his warm touch as close to her as possible. 

“If it puts your mind at ease, I’m here with you the whole way, doll. I wouldn’t worry too much anyway. I don’t think anything would dare lay a hand on you now anyway. Unless that anything is me,” he chuckled, moving his hand to suddenly pinch her cheek playfully. Charlie jumped in surprise before shooting him a pout of protest.

She couldn’t keep it up however, and broke into a giggle that melted Alastor’s heart. He focused on the sound of her voice which only reaffirmed his need to protect her laugh like his life depended on it.

Alastor gently patted the spot he pinched with a chuckle of his own. “I will be with you every step of the way, Charlie. Whatever comes in our way I will crush them like the insignificant bugs they are,” he said cheerily and truthfully, sending a worrisome chill up Charlie’s spine. “Now smile! Enjoy today, show the rabble that you aren’t bothered in the slightest!”

The doors began to open beside them, causing Charlie to jump once more and scramble to her position next to Alastor. She quickly took his arm as he quickly adjusted to the correct position facing forward. An orchestra began to play once the massive doors opened fully to reveal a banquet hall full of demons staring directly at them.

The hall was made up to fit the red and black theme of the wedding with each individual circular table outfitted with a red silk tablecloth and black extravagant floral centerpieces. The other end of the hall were a few long tables that sat perpendicular to the head table, which seemed too far for Charlie’s liking.

With all eyes on them, she stared ahead and tightened her grip on Alastor’s bicep. He did not react, but instead began moving forward.  _ ‘Now smile... show the rabble that you aren’t bothered...’  _ Charlie repeated in her head. She quickly cracked a small smile, enough to appear contented and hide the fear in her heart away. It felt strange and unnatural knowing she was living a lie, but at the same time she felt a bit more in control and in charge of herself.

_ ‘Is this how Alastor feels all the time?’ _

But it didn’t take long until her resolve began to fail. It felt as if she were holding in a breath and couldn’t let it go and now it was burning her lungs. She was successfully hiding her fear but she could still feel it progressively growing stronger in her gut, especially as they walked deeper and deeper into the room. 

She couldn’t tell if it was because it felt as if she were increasingly more trapped in the room as the exit became further and further away behind her or the amount of sinister eyes on her. Who was watching her like prey and who was judging her? How safe was she really in this situation? 

Charlie couldn’t help the stiffness taking over her limbs. Her arms clung to Alastor like he was her lifeline. Each step fell stiff, making her thankful nobody could see her legs under her wedding dress.

After what felt like a lifetime, Alastor led her behind their secluded table and stood by her side to regard their guests before sitting down in unison.

Immediately their guests sat after they had and quickly returned to their conversations. Without the excessive eyes on them, Charlie let out the breath she’d been holding in and released the forced smile on her face.

Behind the couple, Razzle and Dazzle pushed in their seats and scurried off to fill their wine glasses.

Alastor’s words finally brought her back. “That wasn’t too hard, now was it?”

Charlie looked to Alastor, who held a glass of red wine in front of her. Still shaken up, she took her own full glass from the table and turned back to him with a small genuine smile. “Actually it really was, but it felt good.”

They clinked glasses and took a short sip, enjoying the aged wine. 

“Well that’s certainly a start. In time you’ll probably be smiling just as naturally as I do.” Alastor joked. 

“I don’t think your look’s for me, Al.” Charlie laughed. 

“I beg to differ!” He set the glass down and held his hand out to her beneath the table and gestured to it with his head. “But I do need to ask, will you be okay my dear?” He asked a bit quieter.

Charlie looked down at the invitation and felt her heart swell and her cheeks warm at the gesture. 

“I think I will,” she placed her hand in his and looked up at hum with a bright grin. “Thanks Al. Not just for being here, but for thinking about me.” she interlaced her fingers with his, firmly squeezing his hand and enjoying the contact. 

An unexplainable pang hit Alastor’s heart hard. “It’s nothing sweetheart.” He replied, for once not knowing exactly what to say in response. He looked down to their joined hands, wondering if Charlie had somehow transferred her warmth to him. It enveloped him, creating a feeling he could only describe as painful. Painful in a way that he couldn’t be even closer to her due to their circumstances. 

The food came soon after they’d settled and Charlie resigned herself to eat and keep her mind off of her guests. Instead, she diverted her entire attention to Alastor, who also took the time to talk about the incredible dishes with her. 

They joked, drank and laughed together as they shared their first meal as husband and wife.

It certainly displeased certain individuals in the crowd, but none dared to show it. 

When it was time for the toast at the end of lunch, Lucifer stood from the side table he shared with Lilith and walked the short distance toward his daughter. 

Thanks to Alastor, Charlie was able to look out to her guests with a brighter smile than before. Though she was still terrified of them, she felt a bit more at ease feeling less alone. 

With her confidence built up at the moment, Charlie attempted to read each face to find even a hint of malicious intent, but found it difficult to determine. There were hundreds of demons in the room, it was too easy to hide and impossible to see everything.

“To the bride and groom!” Lucifer called, raising his glass to the couple.

The crowd raised their glasses higher and echoed back, “To the bride and groom.” with less enthusiasm.

* * *

With tears welling up in his eyes, Lucifer smiled up at his daughter as they danced and quietly chatted.

Most eyes were on the lone pair in the center of the ballroom, but Alastor’s roamed elsewhere as he stood on the sidelines. Silently and as subtlety as he could, he scanned the room, looking for anyone or anything out of place. A hint of a whisper or even a dirty look would help give him a lead on the conspirators. Even his shadows surveyed the area inside and outside the room.

But in a room full of seasoned liars and sneaks, it proved to be a much more difficult task. Nobody slipped or acted oddly in his eyes. All that there were were bored looks, quiet small talk and a whole lot of nothing exciting.

Lucifer eventually brought Charlie over to Alastor, drawing all of his focus back to his wife like two poles of a magnet attracting each other.

Charlie eagerly grabbed for his hand before he could offer and led him back to the center of the ballroom. They quickly got into position and began their first dance as newlyweds to a generic string piece that neither seemed too interested in.

“I haven’t had the chance to say this yet but I think you look beautiful Charlie. Though I believe your dress doesn’t suit your bright and bubbly personality.”

She shot him an appreciative smile. “Thanks, and I was thinking the same thing. You look great in your outfit though.”

“Do I? Hm, I believe it’s a bit too drab and dark for me.”

“Would you rather be in a hot pink tuxedo? Or one of those gross powder blue tuxes? Frilly tie thing and everything?”

Completely aken aback, Alastor chuckled, restraining a much heartier guffaw. “Well it would have certainly been much more interesting! We need something to liven up this party. And what about you? I think a baby pink princess dress fit with puffy shoulders would catch everyone’s attention.”

Charlie lurched, holding in a cackle that threatened to escape her lips.

From the sidelines, Lucifer didn’t notice a slightly taller man approach.

“They’re getting on well aren’t they Luci?”

Lucifer perked up at the voice, having heard a familiar voice for the first time in a long time. Immediately dread set in.

With little grace, he groaned and rolled his eyes at the sight of a familiar face. “Satan. What hole did you crawl out of?”

Satan merely shrugged and chuckled. “Still the same I see,” he looked over to Lilith who stood right beside her husband. “Good to see you Lilith, I saw your show a couple of weeks ago. Would’ve said hi but you seemed busy.”

Lilith shot the lesser king a neutral look. “Good to see you Satan, though I didn’t see you at the banquet,” she replied as she looked him up and down. “You look like a proper king for once.” She added casually.

He did dress for the occasion, despite it not being his preferred comfort clothes. Lilith noted that he even combed his hair and polished his horns.

He laughed half-heartedly and let his eyes wander out to the dancing couple. “Of course I’d dress well for my niece’s wedding.”

Lucifer refused to turn to look at his brother. “I thought I told you to stop calling her that. When was the last time you’ve seen her? A century ago?”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Too busy to show up to her birthday parties.” Lilith noted, crossing her arms.

“I sent birthday presents! And I’m not exactly welcome in your home, need I remind you.”

“Charlie wanted you to come so we allowed it just for her. I know you got the invitations. You just never showed up.“ Lucifer shot back with venom in his voice.

Satan paused for a moment before answering. “Yeah, well I think I would’ve just ruined it all anyway,” he turned his attention back to Lucifer. “I usually do, don’t I Luci?”

The music ended with Alastor and Charlie bowing to each other, goofy smiles planted on their faces.

Satan smirked noticing Charlie’s expression specifically, wondering what they could have been laughing about- wondering what was going through his niece’s head- wondering what the Radio Demon did to get her under his spell. 

He wondered if she knew about the danger she was in. “Well! I guess I’ll cut the family reunion short. Luci, Lilith, I’ll take my leave.” Satan nodded before turning on his heel and walking back the way he came before he did something he knew he would regret.

Lucifer let out an annoyed sigh. “Ugh I could’ve gone another century without seeing him again.”

“My love, it's been two centuries can’t you let it go? He hasn’t done anything since then.” Lilith placed her hand on his shoulder. She didn’t like the man either, but knew her husband had been holding onto his grudge for his brother for far too long.

“No I can’t just ‘let it go’!” Lucifer exclaimed through grit teeth. “He’s going to stay on the shit list until I feel like it.”

Lilith leaned in and whispered, “It wasn’t like he was attempting a coup Luci.”

He scoffed, shooting Lilith an offended look. “Well he might as well have! He practically suggested it!” Lucifer looked around to make sure no one was too close before leaning in closer to her. “He’s probably the one behind all of this. I wouldn’t be surprised,” he grumbled. 

“And don’t call me Luci, especially right after  _ he  _ called me that.”

Lilith chuckled quietly and snaked her hand around to pull him against her side. “Alright... Luci.” she replied, hoping to cheer up and distract the grumpy king. 

She heard an annoyed sigh followed by the feeling of an arm wrapped around her waist. “You’re so lucky I love you more than anything woman.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you're probably wondering who the fuck is Satan in this fic?
> 
> I've been doing a lot of research recently and part of the reason why this chapter has taken so long is because I've been doing research. The other part is because I was hesitant to include a non-canonical character into the story. But you know what? My friend Dessie did it in her fic "The Library" so why not? She's lovely by the way, GO LOOK UP HER FIC (The Library or The Discovery of Heaven) ON AO3! 
> 
> So Satan is a confusing as fuck concept. Often he's mixed up with Lucifer, Beelzebub, etc. It really depends on the source you're looking at. I'm using the Ars Goetia as primary reference for the structure of Hell's hierarchy along with snippets of Biblical referencing and other Demonology books. Seeing how Stolas is in this universe and his affiliation with astrology is confirmed, it's not hard to imagine that the show probably follows the Ars Goetia with some twists. 
> 
> How Satan and Hell's hierarchy works in this fic:
> 
> Lucifer is THE King of Hell. There are still 6 other Kings, but they are considered "lesser" Kings that still answer to Lucifer. Satan is one of these "lesser" Kings. This part is mostly my interpretation/bastardization of all the sources I've found. This is to make the story make more sense. It's nuts how inconsistent all of the sources I found are with one another and I've definitely gotten a couple of headaches researching and trying to piece everything together. 
> 
> In some mythology, Satan was seen as one of the most powerful beings amongst the angels and became Lucifer's second-in-command during the rebellion against God. It should also be noted that the majority of the demons in the Ars Goetia is made up of fallen angels. Satan is one of these fallen angels in this fic to stay consistent. He's seen as the representation of Wrath while Lucifer is seen as the representation of Pride. I'm sticking to this info and if more info comes up, I will try to make sure I address it!
> 
> And if anyone has any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! I'm not the best at explaining things so please don't hesitate!


End file.
